Hearts United
by WriterMelanie
Summary: In the hours after Rosemary and Lee's wedding, Jack makes plans to move forward in his relationship with Elizabeth. What follows is an adventure that neither one of them could have expected.
1. Chapter 1 - The Best Laid Plans

**_Hearts United_**

 _It is amazing really, how tragedies can do so much damage and yet when all seems the most dark, the dawn comes and those struck down emerge, stronger than ever. I have seen the people of this town suffer so much since my coming here, and while I thought I could never persevere like they did, I have. I thought I would never be brave enough or strong enough to stand by the side of the man that I love, but with everything that has been thrown at us, especially most recently, I know now that I am stronger and braver than I thought I ever could be. And while I don't exactly encourage tragedy of any kind, I know now that all of our life experiences, good and bad, shape us and make us who we are._

Elizabeth set down her pen, sighing as she gazed out the window at the morning mist rolling across the meadow. She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and took another sip of tea, savoring the hot elixir as the cup warmed her hands, still chilled from the night before. On the desk next to her journal were two bouquets of flowers, both nearly identical except for size. The smaller bouquet was in a vase that Cody had given her and a vase from Abigail held the larger bouquet. She brought her nose to the latter and inhaled deeply as she closed her eyes. The memory of the wedding the day before was still as fresh in her mind as the blooms before her, and she smiled as she remembered it.

* * *

As she stepped out into the early afternoon sunshine, Elizabeth Thatcher looked down at the pair of bouquets in her hands, her cheeks flushing pink as she realized the meaning of what had just happened. She looked up at Jack, handsome as ever in his blue suit as he gave her a playful nudge.

"So, this bouquet that you caught – tell me what that means again?" Jack smiled mischievously as they walked out of the church.

Wrinkling her nose and widening her eyes, she nudged him back, "I think it means that my house is going to smell wonderful for the next week, unless your mother is allergic to flowers."

Jack squeezed her hand, pondering the small wooden box in the bottom drawer of his desk back the jail. After his near death experience, he was more determined than ever to move forward with his plans to start a life with the woman he loved. Prior to the accident, his plan had been to build a house on his land first, to make sure he could provide the home and life that Elizabeth deserved. Then, as he fell from his horse a few weeks ago and rolled down the hillside to the river below, his life had flashed before his eyes as he landed in the cold muddy water and the world around him went black. He had recalled his childhood, his years courting and being left by Rosemary, and then his being assigned to Coal Valley. The moment he had met Elizabeth, the moment he had kissed her for the first time, the moment he had told her that he loved her – all flashed with increasing clarity in his subconscious mind as the water from the raging river washed him downstream. Little did he know that the love of his life would also be his savior. Jack could still remember the words of his beloved Elizabeth, echoing to him as through a cavern while his consciousness slowly returned.

" _Do you remember our New Years resolution? To be patient, to be kind, to not rush…. But to take our time"_

As his eyes fluttered open, he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and ask her to be his wife at that moment. However, as willing as his heart was, his body and mind were still weak. Only strong enough to utter a few words to Elizabeth,

" _I'm not… Not to take too much time…"_

The sound of her voice saying his name then, the feel of her skin against his as she embraced him, wiped any plans of a proposal from his mind. He wanted the moment to be perfect. Elizabeth deserved that for all that she had been through. Well, at least as perfect as could be expected in this town where things didn't always go as planned.

Charlotte's voice woke Jack from his reverie, "No, I'm not allergic to flowers," she replied as she drew closer, "although maybe you should give some of them to Jack. It might cover up the smell of that dog of his."

"Mom…" Jack shot his mother a sideways glance.

"There's that sass again," Charlotte shook her head.

"Elizabeth!" Abigail called to her friend, "could you come help me at the café? I have all of the food prepared, but I just need help bringing it to the saloon."

"I can help too if you need it," Jack offered.

"No, it's not necessary. Besides, you have your duties as Best Man."

"I thought that was limited to standing next to Lee and giving him the rings," Jack replied.

"No," Charlotte interrupted, "you need to…um… prepare the carriage for Lee and Rosemary. For their honeymoon."

"But they don't leave until tomorrow," Jack replied.

"All the more reason to get started now. You know how Rosemary is – she may have been satisfied with a smaller wedding, but she likes to make a grand entrance," Charlotte explained.

"And an even grander exit," Abigail added with a smile.

Jack looked at the three women and knew there was more to their request than they were letting on. He shrugged his shoulders. "All right then. Elizabeth, I'll see you at dinner," he reached out and took her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it before flashing a smile at her.

Elizabeth blushed as she watched Jack walk away towards town.

"So…" Abigail and Charlotte both said as they looked at the two bouquets in Elizabeth's hands. She smiled back, and Charlotte added, "Maybe now that son of mine will finally pop the question!"

"Charlotte!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her face flushing a bright crimson.

"She's right," Abigail added, "After what happened he would be crazy not to propose to you. Didn't you tell us that he said himself he didn't want to take too much more time?"

"Well yes, but…" Elizabeth trailed off as she adjusted the two bouquets in her arms.

"I could see the way he was looking at you during the wedding," Abigail said as the three ladies started walking towards the café, "another one can't be far away!"

Jack shook his head as he headed into town. He knew that his mother was trying to get rid of him so she and Abigail could talk to Elizabeth. Subtlety had never been his mother's strong suit. No matter though, he actually appreciated what she had done. It gave him a chance to go to the jail and get something for later. His heart started racing as he pondered his plans for later that evening. A moonlit night, the sound of crickets chirping around the lake, and the woman he loved – the woman he wanted to become his wife. All he needed was to get the ring and to keep calm enough through the wedding dinner and dance. It wouldn't be easy, but he was Jack Thornton. He liked a challenge.

After reciting his question once more in front of the mirror, Jack pulled out his pocket watch to see that it was nearly time for the reception to begin. Giving Rip a pat on the head, he straightened his tie and left the jail, heading towards the café to get Elizabeth.

Opening the door, he was greeted by Abigail and Charlotte.

"Elizabeth went back to the row house," Abigail said, "she spilled some punch on her dress while we were carrying it to the saloon."

"All right," Jack nodded, "Thank you. I'll see you there."

It was a short walk to the row houses, and once he reached them, he stepped up to the door of the first one and knocked. There was no answer, but he could see a lantern lit inside, so he opened the door and entered.

"Elizabeth?" he called, glancing around the inside of the row house. He saw the two bouquets in vases on her desk, but she was nowhere to be found.

"I'm upstairs," Elizabeth replied, "I spilled some punch on my dress, so I decided to come back here and change, and to put my bouquets in some water. I'll be downstairs in just a minute."

Jack looked again at the two bouquets of flowers on her desk. Her journal was open between them and he resisted the urge to take a quick glance at the words she had written.

Just then, Elizabeth began to descend the stairs. She was an absolute vision; clothed in the same dress she had worn a year and a half earlier for their first formal dinner together. For a moment, he couldn't speak. After all of this time, she still took his breath away. All that was needed was a smile to convey the words in their hearts. He offered his arm to her and the two left and headed towards the saloon.

"Pulchra es," Jack whispered as the door shut behind them.

Elizabeth blushed at his Latin proclamation of her beauty, wrapping her shawl over her shoulders. "Thank you," she replied, pausing to give him a quick kiss on his cheek.

They walked on in companionable silence, enjoying each other's company as the sun began to set, orange light filtering through the changing leaves on the trees around them. After several minutes, just as the darkness started to close in around the happy couple, they broke through the copse of trees and the lights of the town beckoned them.

"Wow – the kids really outdid themselves," Jack smiled as they approached the saloon. There were paper flowers and ribbon tacked to the doors, and as they entered, they were greeted with even more flowers and ribbon hanging from the ceiling, all in shades of green, pink and purple to coordinate with the wedding colors.

"Yes, they did," Elizabeth replied as she squeezed Jacks arm.

The rest of the wedding guests began to fill the saloon and once inside they all turned towards the door to welcome the newly married couple as they made their grand entrance. After a simple dinner, the band then began to play and Rosemary and Lee shared their first dance as man and wife to "Let me Call you Sweetheart". Elizabeth swayed slowly to the music as she watched them glide across the floor. Despite her first opinion of Rosemary when she first came to town, Elizabeth was very happy now to call the woman her friend, especially now that she wasn't chasing after Jack anymore. Truly though, she was glad that Rosemary had found love and wished her and Lee a lifetime of happiness together.

As the song ended, Jack stepped out in front of Elizabeth and offered a hand to her, "May I have this dance?"

"Yes, that would be delightful," Elizabeth smiled as she took his hand and the two moved out onto the dance floor with the other couples.

After an hour of dancing, Elizabeth sat down at a table to drink some lemonade and rest her feet. Looking at the grandfather clock in the corner, she saw that it was almost nine o'clock. Stifling a yawn, she stood and picked up her shawl, smiling at her friends while she looked through the crowd to find Jack. After being asked to dance by three of her students, which she gracefully declined, she spotted Jack talking to Lee and Rosemary. As she walked closer to them, Lee tipped his head in Elizabeth's direction and gave Jack a pat on the back before turning back to his wife.

"Lee, Rosemary," Elizabeth began, "thank you so much for making me a part of your wedding. I wish I could stay longer, but it has been a long day and I'm getting tired."

"Oh, that's perfectly fine, Elizabeth," Rosemary replied, "I understand, you need your sleep so you can be wide awake tomorrow to enrich all of those eager young minds!"

"Well, it has been more challenging to teach since the flood," Elizabeth raised her eyebrows, clearing her throat. Rosemary blushed slightly as she remembered her promise of a circus to the children. Hopefully Lee would not be angry about her request.

"Goodbye Rosemary. Goodbye Lee," she gave each of them a hug and then turned towards Jack.

"Jack, can you walk me home?"

"I was just about to ask you to take a walk with me," Jack replied. "Do you mind if we take the scenic route?"

"Well, not too scenic. I am tired and my feet hurt a little from all of that dancing," Elizabeth wrapped the shawl around her shoulders as Jack opened the door to the saloon and led them out into the cool evening air. Hints of the crisp air of fall and winter were starting to make their way into the evenings as the days grew shorter. Before long, it would be Thanksgiving, then Christmas and New Year's again!

Jack led them both to the lake, where a fine mist was settling on the still waters. A few crickets chirped in the distance and the moon slowly appeared from behind a cloud, casting a silver glow on the scene before them. They walked around the pond and came to a stop on the pier next to the church. Elizabeth shivered and Jack instinctively removed his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders, rubbing her arms to warm them.

"Elizabeth," Jack began, "I never did get a chance to properly thank you for, well…"

"For saving your life?" Elizabeth smiled.

"Yeah," he grinned, "I guess it goes to show that you're a lot braver than you thought you were. I heard that you were the one who led the search party. If it hadn't been for you…"

"Don't, Jack," Elizabeth reached and put her hand on his shoulder, "I did what I had to do."

"Well, thank you," Jack replied, then took a deep breath as he gazed into her eyes, "I don't know what I'd do without you, Elizabeth. I know things haven't been easy for us, but the fact that we've made it through them, it means that we really were meant to be together."

He swallowed and looked down, reaching into his pocket. Elizabeth followed his gaze and caught some movement behind him.

"Eeek!" Elizabeth exclaimed as a large mouse began to scurry towards them.

"Wha?" Jack released the ring back into his pocket and spun around. He didn't see anything. What could she be screaming about? He looked down then and saw a mouse crawl between his legs and towards Elizabeth.

"EEEEEK!" Elizabeth screamed as she jumped into Jack's arms.

Crrrrreaaakkk….. One of the boards that they were standing on let out a groan and before they could react, it snapped in two, causing both of them to plunge into the icy waters with a loud splash.

"Jack!" Elizabeth splashed about, billows of silk rising around her, "Goodness this water is cold!"

"Here, take my hand," Jack reached over as he stood slowly in the shallows of the pond. Thank goodness it was a short pier they had been on.

Elizabeth struggled to get her footing, her dancing shoes slipping on the bottom of the pond. She felt something brush against her leg and her eyes widened in horror.

"Jack..."she drew out his name cautiously, "please tell me that was your foot that just touched my leg."

"Um, no," Jack replied "that was probably a fish, or a frog. Cody caught a frog right before the wedding started, but he threw it in the pond before anyone could notice."

Elizabeth's eyes widened again as she made another attempt to stand, "there it is again!" she exclaimed, "Jack, help me out of here!"

His footing now stable, he reached over one more time to take Elizabeth's hand.

"Here, just reach this way, just a little further..." he stretched out his arm and almost had it when great bubble of silk popped up and caught him off guard, making him fall back into the cold water again.

Both Jack and Elizabeth paused them, looking at themselves, then each other, before they simultaneously burst out laughing.

Jack made his way over to her and helped her out of the pond. So much for a proposal tonight, he thought to himself. They both needed to dry off, so they headed towards the church, where there were blankets and a stove to help warm them.

Within minutes, Jack had a fire going in the stove and warm blankets wrapped around him and Elizabeth. They looked at each other, hair dripping onto the church pew, and started laughing again.

"We make quite the pair, don't we," Elizabeth chuckled.

"Yes we do," Jack replied, "And now you can add swimming to your list of frontier activities."

Elizabeth playfully nudged Jack as she wrinkled her nose. "I'd hardly call that swimming. The water was only two feet deep."

She then leaned onto his shoulder as he rubbed her arm to warm it.

"You know, I realized something earlier this evening as we were dancing in the saloon,"

"Yes?" Jack sighed as he held Elizabeth close.

"Today marks exactly two years since you came here."

"Really?" Jack pondered, "Why yes, I suppose you're right. Two years. It certainly feels like longer."

"It feels like a lifetime ago that I was on my way here from Hamilton, full of hope and big ideas to shape the minds of the children of Coal Valley."

"I'd say you succeeded," Jack turned his head towards her, "and you've changed more than just the children."

"You mean, the name of the town?"

"That too," Jack smiled.

He knew now that this was the moment he was waiting for. There was no moonlight or crickets, but somehow, it just felt right to him. Sitting up taller, he picked up Elizabeth's hands in his own and looked into her eyes. He felt a lump form in his throat and swallowed. Looking into those blue pools, he could see his own future laid out before him. A future waking up next to the woman he loved every morning for the next sixty, maybe seventy years, watching their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren grow, all while his love for her grew stronger every day.

"Elizabeth," Jack said, "Do you remember that day when we shared some secrets with each other about the day we met?"

She nodded, urging him to continue.

"I have another secret to share with you. Actually, the same one. The day I met you, I thought you were more than just attractive. I knew then and there that we were meant to be together."

Elizabeth smiled and nodded, squeezing his hands in agreement, "Me too."

"I know I told you early in our courtship that Mounties don't marry. That if they wanted us to have a wife, they would have issued us one."

Elizabeth turned her gaze downwards, but Jack lifted her chin with one of his fingers and smiled as he gazed into her eyes once more. His heart was racing and he knew that he had to get these words out soon before the moment was lost.

"But I don't care about that. All I care about is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you at my side, facing the hardships of this frontier life together. Raising a family together," Jack quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ruby ring.

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide as Jack got down on one knee next to her, the blanket falling off of his shoulders. His hands shook as he took her left hand in his right.

"Elizabeth Thatcher, will you marry me?"

Tears started to pool in the corners of Elizabeth's eyes as she looked into the eyes of her beloved, kneeling before her in the soft glow of the fire, holding a small ruby ring that sparkled in the glow of the flickering flames.

"Yes," she replied softly, "yes, I will marry you."

Jack slipped the ring on her finger, and lifting his hands to her face, pulled her towards him in a passionate kiss. They paused as Jack wiped the tears from Elizabeth's face, and then kissed again. After a few minutes they pulled apart, smiled and sat back on the church pew. Elizabeth held out her left hand and admired the ring on it as he leaned into Jack. It wasn't nearly as elaborate as the one Charles had offered her a year before, but that didn't matter. This ring, as red as the jacket he had been wearing when they had first met, meant more to her than any ring in the world. It meant that she would soon be marrying the love of her life, her soul mate, Jack Thornton.

* * *

 ** _Disclaimer: Elizabeth Thatcher, Jack Thornton, and the rest of the characters in this story are not property of me. The Hallmark Channel/Crown Media, Believe Pictures, and Motion Picture Corporation of America own these characters. Many thanks to Janette Oke, Michael Landon, Jr., Brian Bird and all of the creative writers and cast of When Calls the Heart for giving me such wonderfully developed characters to work with for my story. I hope you enjoy it.  
_**


	2. Chapter 2 - Surprises

Hearts United

Chapter 2

Finishing her tea, Elizabeth Thatcher opened the drawer on her desk and slipped the journal inside, making a note to stop by the mercantile and purchase more ink. Closing the drawer, a glint of red caught her eye and she smiled. She still couldn't believe that she was engaged to be married to Jack Thornton. His proposal last night had been perfect, even if he had thought differently. Jack had apologized a few times while walking her home in the moonlight, a lamp to guide them through the dark forest that separated the row houses from the town. Yet she insisted that even with them falling into the pond, she could not have asked for a better proposal, because it had come from his heart.

Suddenly, there was a knock at her door. Elizabeth jumped, and then smiled as she caught a flash of red serge outside her window. She threw open the door and jumped into Jack's arms, then stepped back when Hickam and two other men walked past with their lunch pails, snickering at the response of the town's schoolteacher.

Elizabeth blushed, but Jack called out to the men, "I'll have you know that kind of greeting is perfectly normal for one's fiancé!"

They stopped and looked back, smiling at the young couple. Hickam walked back to them and extended his hand, "Well congratulations to both of you!" Then he stepped back, looked at Elizabeth and said, "You won't need me to handle any wedding details, will you? I don't think I could handle any more stress after what Rosemary put me through."

"Don't you worry, Hickam," Elizabeth chuckled as she reassured him, "I have no plans for a big wedding, and not anytime soon, at least not with winter approaching."

"Oh, thanks!" Hickam smiled, then tipped his hat to both of them and went to join his comrades on their way to the sawmill.

Jack turned towards Elizabeth and gestured towards the horse he had ridden to her house. "A ride, my lady? I thought your feet could use a rest."

"That's so sweet," Elizabeth touched his cheek tenderly, and then a grin slowly spread across her face, "and no doubt you want to parade your new fiancé through town."

Jack grinned as he held out his hand to her, which she refused as she helped herself onto the horse with ease.

"I will admit, the thought did cross my mind," Jack nodded as he mounted the horse, pulling in close behind her and reaching out in front of her to grab the reins.

Elizabeth looked back at him and sighed contentedly as he flicked the reins and urged the horse onward. They rode quietly for a few moments before Elizabeth spoke to break the silence.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Elizabeth?"

"You haven't heard anything from your brother lately, have you?" she inquired.

"No, I can't say that I have," Jack paused, sensing that there was more to the question than Elizabeth was letting on, "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I was just thinking of my sister Julie. The last I heard from my parents, she had run away but they didn't know where. I haven't heard from her at all since we left Hamilton last year, and I'm worried. I know your brother is a good man, but I know Julie can be a bit…"

"Impulsive?" Jack interrupted.

Elizabeth grinned, giving him a light nudge in his ribs, "yes, I suppose you could say that. I just hope she's all right."

"Well," Jack began, "I could ask my mother. Tom might not write to me very often, but if Julie did run away to be with him, he would tell mom about it," he paused, "eventually."

Elizabeth smiled at his joke, but then frowned again. Julie would have been the first one she would have told about her engagement to Jack, and she didn't even know where her little sister was. She could be with Tom, but she could also be captured by criminals, hurt, or worse. Raising a prayer for her sister's safety, Elizabeth took a deep breath and tried to focus on the present, being here with Jack and on their way into town to share the news of their engagement with their friends.

Clearing the forest, Elizabeth spotted the town before them and her heart started beating a little bit faster. Soon they rounded the corner onto Main Street and she saw… nothing. No one was walking down the street, Abigail's café was still closed, the doors to the mercantile were shut, and the shades were drawn as if Ned Yost hadn't even opened it yet. Even the saloon was eerily quiet.

"Where is everyone?" Elizabeth asked Jack, glancing down side streets to try and catch a glimpse of at least one of her friends, her students, anyone. Not even Charlotte could be seen. Come to think of it, Charlotte hadn't slept at Elizabeth's house the night before. She had mentioned that she wanted to help Abigail clean up after the wedding dance was over, so perhaps she had stayed with Abigail. Still, Charlotte was the earliest riser in town, and she wasn't even out and about. Something wasn't right.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. Maybe they're all still sleeping after last night. There were still quite a few people at Lee and Rosemary's wedding when we left."

"Oh," Elizabeth's shoulders fell in disappointment. She didn't want to admit it, but she had kind of been looking forward to sharing her engagement with her friends.

Passing through the town, they drew closer to the church and Elizabeth smiled, remembering the night before. Looking to her left, she could see the broken board on the pier, and ahead on the steps of the church there were a few puddles that still remained from when she and Jack had trudged up the stairs, soaking wet.

Dismounting the horse first, Jack held out a hand and helped Elizabeth down. Smoothing her pale green skirt, she started up the steps and thought she heard…whispering? Stopping midstep, she paused and waited. Nothing. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders and continued, using her key to open the first set of doors.

Jack walked in behind her, a sheepish grin on his face as he waited for Elizabeth to open the next set of doors.

"Surprise!" a large crowd called out, startling Elizabeth so much that she jumped back and fell into Jack's waiting arms.

Elizabeth brought her hands to her lips as she looked at the scene before her. All of her students held signs saying "Congratulations", some misspelled but all held high as the faces of the children smiled brightly at her. The townspeople were there too, even Lee and Rosemary, who Elizabeth thought were on their way to Union City for their honeymoon. Ned Yost had a bottle of champagne and Abigail had several glasses set on a table with what she assumed was leftover wedding cake. Charlotte was grinning from ear to ear as she approached them, took Elizabeth's hands and said, "Welcome to the family, Lizzie!"

Smiling, Elizabeth glanced over at Jack, who was now standing next to her. He had that silly grin on his face and she knew immediately that he was responsible for this.

"Well, I had to tell my mother," Jack said, raising his hands in surrender, "and Lee and Rosemary already knew about my plans last night. I suppose Rosemary told everyone else at the saloon after we left."

After being congratulated by everyone and receiving hugs from all of her students (along with several requests to be the flower girl in her wedding), Ned Yost broke through the chatter with a loud POP from the champagne bottle, causing Elizabeth to jump in alarm and then laugh as she caught Jack's gaze from across the room where he was talking to Lee. She made her way towards him as Abigail poured champagne into the glasses and passed them around, then raised her own.

"To Jack. I believe I am speaking for the entire community of Hope Valley when I say… It's about time!" Everyone laughed and Jack's cheeks briefly flushed crimson at the reference to his slow courtship of Elizabeth.

"And to Elizabeth," Charlotte raised her glass as well, "I couldn't have asked for a better daughter in law. Just try not to take a page from my son's book when you start planning the wedding!"

Elizabeth chuckled and wrinkled her nose as she gave Jack a playful nudge.

"To Jack and Elizabeth!" Everyone else raised their glasses in a toast to the newly engaged couple.

"Thank you so much, everyone!" Elizabeth called out so that all could hear, "It means so much to me that you came to celebrate my engagement. However, I do have children to teach for Sunday school, unless you want them to have the day off."

The children looked at their parents, the boys asking for the day off, and the girls asking to stay in Sunday school so they could pry Elizabeth with requests for every last detail of Jack's proposal the night before. The parents looked at each other, then at Jack and Elizabeth.

Molly Sullivan was the first to speak, "Well, I think the children should have the day off, to give Jack and Elizabeth time to celebrate their engagement."

"Isn't that what we just did?" Florence piped in, "How much celebrating do they need?"

"They might want to start planning their wedding," Dottie commented.

Opal raised her hand and Elizabeth acknowledged her, "yes, Opal?"

"Maybe we should have a vote!"

"That is an excellent idea, Opal," Elizabeth commended her student, "Everyone in favor of keeping Sunday school in session today, raise your hands."

Several people raised their hands, some of the girls raising both hands eagerly.

"Just one hand each, please," Elizabeth looked at the girls as she began counting, "that's 15 votes. Now those in favor of cancelling Sunday school for the day, raise your hands."

Several more hands shot up in the air, an overwhelming majority. "Well, I guess it's decided then. Class is dismissed." As the children all ran past her to go outside, she called to them, "I expect to see you here bright and early tomorrow. We have a lot to catch up on!"

Seeing Charlotte, Elizabeth made her way over to her future mother-in-law.

"Excuse me, Charlotte," Elizabeth began, "I was hoping to ask you something."

"Yes? What is it?" Charlotte replied.

"Have you heard from Tom lately? I haven't heard from my sister Julie in quite some time and I was wondering if she ran off to join him."

"You know, I haven't heard from him in a while either," Charlotte said as she set down her glass, "the last letter I got from him stated that he had taken a job in a quarry and was determined to turn his life around and be the kind of son I could be proud of. I wrote back that I would be proud of him no matter what, but I didn't get another letter from him after that."

"Hmm," Elizabeth pondered, concern etched on her features, "Well, I hope that everything is all right. I know my sister can be a bit headstrong, and I'd hate to think that she would go to Tom before he's ready to support the both of them. She can hardly support herself, not without our father's money. And from the letter that I received from my sister Viola after Julie ran away, it appears that he's cut her off."

Just then, there was a knock at the church door. Elizabeth turned to see her sister's face through the window, her hand waving eagerly.

"Julie!" Elizabeth exclaimed and ran to the door, opening it to greet her sister.

However, neither Elizabeth, Jack, Abigail, Frank nor Charlotte were prepared for the sight that greeted them. For there on the threshold of the church stood Elizabeth's sister Julie, dressed in a simple cotton frock, and about six months pregnant.


	3. Chapter 3 - Forgiveness

Hearts United

Chapter 3

"Julie…" Elizabeth paused as she cautiously hugged her sister, and then stepped back, "I was just thinking of you and wondering where you've been, but -" she trailed off then, not sure what to say, still processing the sight before her.

"I'm so sorry, Elizabeth," Julie began, her usually bubbly voice now strained somewhat from the guilt that she was feeling about hiding this news from her older sister, "I wanted to tell you, really I did. I guess I was just afraid that you would be…" she trailed off as Charlotte stepped forward.

"Upset? Well, she has every right to be. Am I to assume this is my grandchild that you are carrying?"

Julie's eyes widened in shock, "Who are - "

"Charlotte Thornton," she held out her hand, her lips drawn into a thin line and her brow furrowed in displeasure over this turn of events, "I'm Jack and Tom's mother."

"Oh! Oh my goodness," Julie's voice trembled, a mixture of surprise, happiness, and fear. She swallowed then, doing her best to compose herself, "I'm Julie. Julie Thornton."

"Thornton?" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Well yes, I meant to tell you, I really did. Everything happened so suddenly - "

"But I can see it's been a while," Elizabeth chastised her sister, "at least five, maybe six months? And not even one letter to let me know where you were? That you were married, and… expecting?"

Tears began to well up in Julie's eyes, "I wanted to write to you, Elizabeth, but in the beginning, I was so angry at mother and father, and I didn't want anyone to know. I wanted to prove I could take care of myself, like you," the tears began to cascade down her cheeks, "But I knew what you would say, that I was being irresponsible, and s-s-selfish."

"Because you were!" Elizabeth interrupted anger and disappointment in her voice, "I told you in Hamilton, the first time that you tried to run away with Tom, that you needed to stop thinking of yourself and put him first, and give him the chance to start a new life and make something of himself."

"But I - "

"Elizabeth is right," Jack interjected, "the last I heard from Tom, right before Christmas last year, he was settling in to his job at the quarry. I can imagine that he hardly expected you to show up when you did."

"I sent Tom a telegram," Julie stiffened her shoulders in indignation, "He knew I was coming. He was actually happy to see me."

"Excuse me; let's move this conversation to the café, shall we?" Abigail stepped forward, smiling warmly at Julie. Despite the turn of events, Abigail knew that Julie needed a show of support and of kindness, even if her family wasn't quite ready to forgive her yet. "We can all have some tea and discuss this rationally."

"Yes," Elizabeth said, taking a deep breath to compose herself, then looked over Julie's shoulder, "I assume Tom is on his way?"

"Actually," Julie looked down at the floor and bit her lower lip, "I came here on my own."

"Then we really have a lot to discuss," Abigail replied as she, Elizabeth, Jack, and Charlotte all headed out of the church and down the stairs.

* * *

Once they were seated around the table in the parlor room and Abigail had poured tea for all of them, Charlotte was the first to speak. It was obvious that she was troubled by the recent turn of events, but she did her best to maintain her composure and speak calmly to her daughter-in-law.

"Tell me, Julie," she began, her hands on her lap, "how is it that you married my son without a word to myself, Jack, Elizabeth, or your family in Hamilton. You had to realize that we would start to worry when we hadn't heard from either of you."

Julie blotted her tears with the sleeve of her calico dress, her other hand resting on her belly. "When I left Hamilton, I was so angry at Viola, mother, and especially father. They treated me like a child, not like the woman I am. They said that they wanted what was best for me, but not if it was Tom." She glanced at Elizabeth then, reaching out to her sister, who sat stoically with her hands on her lap, "I know how you feel, Elizabeth, and I told them as much, that I was glad you went away, back to Hope Valley."

Julie turned back to Charlotte then, "So I used some money I had saved up, before father cut me off like I knew he would, and used some of it to send Tom a telegram and buy a train ticket. Tom was so happy to see me when I got off the train. We were both so happy. I checked into a hotel in town, and that night we started to make plans, for our future. I told him that I knew my father would cut me off because of the fight we'd had, and that I had brought enough of my dresses and jewelry with me that I could sell some of them, until I could find a job somewhere, so that he wouldn't have to worry about supporting me. And I did find a job in the hotel, as a maid."

"A maid?" Elizabeth interjected, her brows raised in disbelief.

"Yes, Elizabeth. It wasn't easy to learn how to do things that had always been done for me, but I made some friends at the hotel that taught me everything I needed to know. After a month, I couldn't believe how things were falling into place. Everything was going so well, and our future was so bright, that one night Tom and I decided to get married. After he finished his day of work at the quarry, we both went to the courthouse. It was such a lovely ceremony, Elizabeth. I so wanted you to be there,"

"Then why didn't you contact me?" Elizabeth countered angrily.

"Well, I was still so angry at mother and father, and I knew if I wrote to you and told you about marrying Tom, that you would write to them and tell them where I was, or that you would tell Jack, and I didn't want anyone coming to tear Tom and I apart."

Julie took a sip of tea then, "Really though, it was all so sudden. I didn't even wear a wedding dress. I wore the only formal dress I hadn't sold, the one I bought at that boutique in Hamilton when you were visiting. You remember, Elizabeth? The blue one that I wore to dinner after you came back home."

Elizabeth nodded, shaking the memories of that day from her life. She didn't like to think of her life in Hamilton – it wasn't a part of her anymore, at least not a big part. Her family, her true family, was here in Hope Valley, and while she would always love her parents, and maybe even her sister Viola, they were a part of her past. Her future was here. And yet, she wondered what Julie's future would be.

"Well," Julie continued, "that night, after dinner, Tom wanted me to go home with him, but I objected. It was so small, and stuffy. Not nearly nice enough to spend one's wedding night. I told him that since I worked in the hotel, I had access to the rooms there, and that we could spend our wedding night in one of the suites, to make up for the simple courthouse wedding. He objected, because he knew there were rules about employees using guest rooms, but I insisted that everything would be fine."

Julie took another sip of tea and looked down at her lap, "Well, it wasn't. I tried to sneak both myself and Tom out of the room the following morning. I had even tidied it up so that no one would know we were there. But someone saw us, reported it to the manager, and I lost my job. That was the only hotel in town, and no one would hire me after that. But it was all right. I had saved a little bit of money from working at the hotel, and after a few weeks, Tom and I were ready to rent a small house not too far from the quarry. Those weeks weren't easy, but we made it through somehow. I even made a new friend – a woman named Catherine who taught me how to cook and sew. I'm still working at it, but I did make this dress. Well, with a little bit of help," she smiled.

"Then I found out I was pregnant. I honestly didn't expect it to happen so soon. Tom was so supportive though, working through the night to earn more money to support me… us." she rubbed her belly, "but then after five months, there was an accident at the quarry."

Jack and Charlotte stood, panicked.

"Tom, is he," Charlotte and Jack spoke together.

"He's fine," Julie reassured them, "he actually helped some of the other workers. You would have been so proud of him, Jack," she looked at Jack and smiled, "I told him a month later, once everyone was recovered and the quarry opened again that I wanted to go visit you in Hope Valley. But Tom told me he couldn't leave. After a month of not working, we had very little money left, and with a baby on the way, he insisted that he needed to start working again, around the clock if needed, to provide for us."

"Well," Charlotte said, "At least I know he's become more responsible. Although I still would have liked to have gotten a letter, telling me that he was married, and that I was about to be a grandmother."

"And I am so sorry for that," Julie apologized, "Tom wanted to write, but I guess after my anger faded, I started to become ashamed of the situation I had gotten the both of us into, so I sort of… hid the letters he wrote."

"Julie!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"I swear, I planned on sending them, once we were settled and everything was all right. But something always got in the way. If I could take it all back and do things differently, I would," tears began to cascade down Julie's cheeks once more.

She wiped them away with her sleeve again and continued, "Well, a week ago, when Tom was at work, I packed a small bag. I took my dress – the blue one – and I sold it to pay for a train ticket to Hope Valley. I left Tom a note saying where I was going, and I know he will be furious with me, but I just had to see you, Elizabeth, to apologize in person, to try to make things right between us."

Elizabeth sat silently for a few moments, taking in everything that her sister had just told her. As hard as it was to forgive Julie for what she had done, she knew that she had to do it. Her sister's transgressions would take a while to forget, but Elizabeth would do her best to forgive and move forward. She looked at Jack, who was now sitting beside her, and could see in his eyes that he felt the same way.

"Julie," Charlotte spoke in calm, cool tones, "What you've told us all, I have to admit, it's a lot to take in. However…" she paused then and her expression softened somewhat, "I can understand how you feel. Because I've been there myself."

"Mom?" Jack looked at his mother, puzzled at her words.

"Well, you knew I was young when I married your father, Jack. And while I didn't exactly come from high society like Julie, my parents did object to my marrying your father. So I ran away and married him, and you were born nine months later."

"Mrs. Thornton…" Julie looked at her mother-in-law, no longer with fear but with a newfound respect.

"I know how scary it can be, to be newly married, and expecting a baby," Charlotte reached forward to put a hand on Julie's shoulder, "now it doesn't mean that what you did was right. Because it wasn't. But I think you learned your lesson and are willing to accept the outcome."

"Oh, I am!" Julie exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes once more.

"Julie," Elizabeth reached out to take her sister's hand, "I will admit that I am upset with you for what you've done, but I can see that you've matured. That you realize that your actions have consequences."

Julie nodded.

"This isn't easy for me, but I will forgive you, Julie. You are my sister, and I love you," she reached out and embraced her sister, Julie's swollen belly pressing into her own. She stepped back then and added, "You do realize though, that I am going to send a telegram to mother and father to let them know."

Julie's eyes widened in horror and she started to shake her head. However, she was about to speak when she realized that what Elizabeth was about to do was inevitable. Mother and father had to be told that they were going to have a new grandchild soon. And who knows, when they heard about what a hard worker Tom was and how much he had changed, maybe they would welcome her back into the family again, and Tom along with her.

"I understand," Julie replied meekly.

"Hopefully news like this won't affect mother's heart, but I think she's strong enough. It's father that I'm worried about."

"Maybe mother will read the telegram first and then she can break the news to father gently. She has a way of doing that," Julie replied hopefully.

"I'll wire Tom to let him know you arrived safely. I'm sure he'll want to come and get you, and bring you back home before the baby is born," Jack said, "and when he gets here, I'll have my own little talk with him."

"You and me both," Charlotte added.

"Oh thank you all so much," Julie said, taking Elizabeth's hands in her own, "it means so much to have your forgiveness, I…" Julie looked down and her eyes widened as she saw the ring on her sister's finger. Elizabeth noticed her sister's reaction and gave a sideways glance to Jack, who put his arm around his fiancé's waist.

"You're… you're engaged!"

"Yes, yes we are," Jack smiled, his eyes sparkling with the love he felt for his fiancé.

"Oh, Elizabeth, I'm so glad I came here," Julie admired the sparkling ruby on her sister's finger, "now I get to celebrate your engagement with you, and… oh! I can help you plan your wedding!"

"Let's not get carried away, Julie," Elizabeth said, "winter is coming soon, and considering how harsh winters can be here in Hope Valley, I wouldn't want to even try to plan a wedding until spring comes."

"But a winter wedding would be so… romantic," Julie sighed.

"I'll think about it," Elizabeth placated her sister, to which the latter squealed in delight.

"Well," Charlotte turned to face Elizabeth, "I think it is going to start getting crowded at your house, Lizzy."

"House?" Julie turned to Elizabeth in surprise.

"I'm renting one of the row houses," Elizabeth replied, "Charlotte has been staying with me for the past couple of months. It's been quite eventful, and I can tell you all about it on the way there,"

"Oh! I couldn't possibly impose," Julie objected.

"How about you stay here, Julie?" Abigail offered, "Just until Elizabeth can get another bed for you in her house. I'm sure you could use a few good meals since you're eating for two."

"Oh, I would love that, Abigail!"

"Then it's settled," Abigail nodded, just as Clara came through the door with Cody in tow, a stick of rock candy from the mercantile in one hand as he waved with the other.

Julie looked at Cody, then at Abigail, "Abigail, is this your – "

"Well, I suppose so," Abigail smiled, "although I've never really thought about it like that, but yes, this is my son, Cody."

"Oh, Elizabeth," Julie took her sister's hands once more, her eyes sparkling in excitement, "we _do_ have a lot to talk about!"


	4. Chapter 4 - The Love of Family

Hearts United – Chapter 4

"Oh my goodness," Julie breathed, readjusting herself in bed as she listened to Elizabeth recount the events of the previous weeks. A week had passed since her arrival in Hope Valley and she had just that day gotten settled in at her sister's house. She shared a room with Elizabeth while Charlotte slept in the room across the hall, bringing back fond memories of their childhood. Charlotte was in town at the moment, no doubt at the saloon, playing darts or joining in a friendly game of poker.

"I don't know how you made it through all of that," Julie rubbed her belly, "I would have been a nervous wreck."

"Well," Elizabeth replied, braiding her hair as she leaned back onto her bed, "Having friends and family that cared so much about me, about Jack – it made all of the difference."

"And he's better now, thanks to you of course."

Elizabeth blushed as she glanced sideways at her sister. She was so happy to have Julie here again. While it was awkward to look at her little sister and see her usually tiny waist now rounded from the baby growing within, she was excited about becoming an aunt.

"Ooh!" Julie exclaimed, sitting up in her bed.

"Is the baby moving?" Elizabeth leaned forward.

"Yes," Julie winced again, "he is always more active at night."

"So you're thinking it's a boy?"

"Well, Tom said he would be happy with a boy or a girl, but with how active this little one has been lately, I'm guessing it's a boy. Would you like to feel him kick?"

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows in caution, and then stepped out of bed, wrapping a warm blanket around her shoulders. Taking a few tentative steps, she reached out and placed a hand on Julie's abdomen. After a moment, felt a tiny kick underneath.

"That is amazing!" Elizabeth smiled, then again as she felt another. "I'm your aunt Elizabeth, little one. I can't wait to meet you!"

Julie sighed, and then leaned back into bed as Elizabeth sat next to her, pulling the covers up around them both. She rested her head contentedly on her older sister's shoulder and twisted the end of her braid around her fingers.

"Elizabeth?" she whispered.

"Yes, Julie?" Elizabeth smoothed out the quilt over both of them.

"I'm scared about tomorrow," Julie replied softly, "it's been a week since we got the telegram from mother. She said nothing about father's reaction to the news, and I can't help but wonder, what are they going to do? Send me off to a convent? Make me give up my baby? Send Tom away somewhere that I'll never see him again…" she trailed off, choked up with sobs as she rolled over and cried into her pillow.

"Julie, it will be all right," Elizabeth rubbed Julie's back, trying to reassure her sister, "we don't even know if father is coming. Mother is the one who sent the telegram back to us. It could be that father was away on business when she received it, and that she is coming here on her own."

"Oh, but she can't travel alone, not with her heart," Julie sat up and looked back at her sister, her face streaked with tears and her hand to her chest.

"I'm sure she'll have an escort, probably one of the Mounties from Hamilton."

"As long as it's not Charles, right?" Julie wrinkled her nose in disgust as she wiped the tears from her face.

"Oh, I don't think Charles would even try to come back here," Elizabeth said, "not after the way I sent him back to Hamilton the last time he came to Hope Valley."

"I still can't believe he proposed to you," Julie shook her head, "I do think that Viola was up to it. She seemed awfully smug the last time Charles came to visit, right before I ran away. I thought it was just her usual demeanor, but I can see now that she must have been the one to send Charles here. Oh, I could just…"

"Take it easy, Julie," Elizabeth put a hand on her sister's shoulder. She heard the door open and close downstairs – a sign that Charlotte had returned. "We need to get some rest. Especially with how early Charlotte likes to wake up."

She stood then and walked over to her bed. Lying down, she pulled the quilt up to her chin and reached over to extinguish the lantern on her bedside. "Try not to think about tomorrow. I'm sure it will be fine."

"I hope so."

"Good night, Julie." Elizabeth offered one last smile to her sister before she snuffed out the flame.

"Good night, Elizabeth."

* * *

The next morning, Elizabeth and Julie woke to the smell of lard coming from the kitchen.

"What is that smell?" Julie rubbed her eyes and then waved her hand in front of her nose.

"Oh, that would be your mother-in-law cooking breakfast. I told you she puts lard in everything."

"Ugh…" Julie pulled the blanket back over her head, and then peeked at Elizabeth from underneath one of the corners, "I do love staying here with you, dear sister," she whispered, "but I really miss Abigail's cooking."

"It's all right," Elizabeth reassured her, "I can handle this."

Elizabeth got up out of bed and wrapped a shawl over her slender shoulders. Opening the door, she made her way downstairs. Julie got up out of bed, tiptoed quietly to the door, and listened.

"Good morning, Charlotte," Elizabeth greeted her soon to be mother-in-law, "I hope you didn't go to too much trouble."

"No, none at all," Charlotte stirred the eggs in the skillet on the stove, "I thought Julie would like a nice hearty country breakfast. Start her day off right."

"Well… that's just it," Elizabeth replied, pursing her lips briefly before continuing, "Julie isn't really feeling well this morning. Poor dear is a nervous wreck since our mother, maybe our father as well, is due to arrive today."

"Oh," Charlotte said, looking down at the skillet, "Well, maybe you can take some into town for Jack. I'm sure he'll eat them."

"I can do that," Elizabeth smiled, thinking to herself that Jack was more likely to give the eggs to Rip, who probably wouldn't touch them either.

Elizabeth walked back up the stairs and gave Julie a smile as she entered their room. Julie gave her sister a hug and the two of them set about getting dressed and ready for the day ahead of them.

Several minutes later, both Elizabeth and Julie descended the stairs, Elizabeth in a blue skirt and white blouse, and Julie in a simple pink dress of Elizabeth's that Clara had made some alterations to, to accommodate Julie's figure. Clara had already started making several more dresses for Julie to take home with her, each larger than the last to make room for the growing baby inside of her. Julie had insisted on paying the girl, but Clara insisted that it was good practice, especially if she was going to start working at Dottie Ramsey's dress shop. With the two weddings this past year, babies weren't far behind and the new mothers would need dresses to grow with them.

"Well, don't you look fancy," Charlotte commented from where she was sitting at the table, eating her breakfast.

"I just want to make a good impression," Julie replied, "I didn't exactly part on the best of terms, and I don't want her thinking that I'm destitute. If she even gets the slightest impression that I'm in trouble…" she trailed off then, but shook her head, straightening her shoulders in resolve, "No, I can't think that way. Maybe Tom will arrive today too. Oh, Elizabeth, you don't suppose they could be on the same stagecoach together?"

"Stranger things have happened," Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders.

"If it makes a difference, I can meet the stagecoach with you. I'd like to meet my daughter-in-law's parents that I've heard so much about." Charlotte set down her cup of coffee and led the way to the door.

Elizabeth glanced at Julie then and followed Charlotte outside into the early morning sunshine.

"Well… here goes," Elizabeth looked at both ladies as they started walking towards town.

The walk into town was silent for the most part, interrupted only by the occasional bird or the beat of horses' hooves in the distance. Julie jumped at every noise, thinking it was the stagecoach, and Elizabeth reassured her each time that the stage wasn't due to arrive for another hour yet. They had plenty of time to get to town and rest. And yet, with every step she took closer to town, Julie's heart hammered in her chest, and the baby within her grew more and more restless, until she couldn't stand it any further and stopped in her tracks.

"Julie," Elizabeth looked at her sister, concerned for her well-being and that of her unborn child, "is everything all right?"

"I can't do this," Julie replied, trying her best to stay calm, but failing miserably as her lower lip trembled and her hands began shaking.

Elizabeth rushed to stand beside Julie, putting an arm around her back, and Charlotte did the same. Slowly, they began to guide Julie forward, each step reassuring her that all would be well. However, they often stole glances at each other that spoke an entirely different sentiment. One of uneasiness and fear that they would never show to the young mother between them.

Soon, they rounded the corner of town and the stagecoach building loomed before them, closed as of yet.

"See?" Elizabeth gestured as Julie's shoulders relaxed and she took a few steps forward on her own, "it's not even here yet. I bet the stagecoach is still at least an hour away, maybe more."

"You're right," Julie smiled, "and who knows, maybe mother and father will see how beautiful it is out here and that will soften them somewhat."

* * *

Grace Thatcher took a deep breath of mountain air as the stagecoach rolled past a lake where two deer were grazing. In the distance she could see the mountains, their jagged edges gray and white against the sapphire sky. Pulling the yellow slip of paper from her purse, she unfolded it for the third time and read it again.

" _Dearest mother and father…I hope you are well…I write with mixed news…Jack and I are engaged to be married…Julie has just arrived here in Hope Valley… she is married to Tom and with child… If you come here, please be kind to us, especially Julie…she has been through more than you know… Your loving daughter, Elizabeth._ "

Grace was thankful that Viola was away on her honeymoon in Europe and that William and Charles were in Cape Fullerton on business, as she knew that they all would have reacted poorly to this news. This is not to say that she was pleased to discover that her youngest daughter was now married, to Tom Thornton no less, and was pregnant with her first child. Of all of the situations that Grace had imagined her daughter being in, this was not the worst but certainly not the best.

The stagecoach hit a bump in the road and Grace caught herself. It had been a long time since she had ridden in a stagecoach. Twenty-five years, to be exact. Back in the days of her youth she had once gone on what her parents had called " an adventure", and she still fondly remembered her first stagecoach journey. How could she possibly forget it?


	5. Chapter 5 - Stages

_"How do you do, ma'am," the young man across from her in the stagecoach grinned, his blue eyes and easy smile making her heart race. She could feel a warmth creeping up the back of her neck and a flush growing in her cheeks. Smiling coquettishly, she began to fan herself, peeking over the top of the fan at her handsome companion. The stagecoach had just left Boston and while she initially wasn't looking forward to a long ride to Plymouth crammed in a stagecoach with 5 other people, this particular passenger offered the promise of a rather pleasant journey._

 _"So, tell me," he glanced out the window, then stole a glance in her direction, "what brings you to the States?"_

 _Grace's eyes widened in shock and she abruptly stopped fanning herself, "How did you know I was…"_

 _"I saw you, at the train station. My friend Tom was leaving to go to Hamilton. Training to become a Mountie. I was just walking in with him when I saw you get off the train," he blushed then and extended his hand, "James Johnston. Didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, Miss…"_

 _"Porter," she accepted his hand, "Grace Porter." She smiled as she paused for a moment, then looked down at her hand and then pulled it back, but not without letting it linger in James Johnston's strong hand for a second more than her mother would have considered proper. This whole journey, on her own, unchaperoned, was undoubtedly creating quite the stir back in Hamilton, but Grace didn't care. She wanted an adventure, and she was going to get one!_

 _"If you must know," Grace began fanning herself again, "I am visiting my cousin, Susan Smith. She lives in Plymouth and has just given birth to her first child. I insisted that I make the journey to help her in any way I can. You see, her husband just passed away, and she has no other family here."_

 _"Sorry to hear that, Ma'am," he tipped his head in consolation, "but if it helps any, I am from Plymouth myself. Just on my way home from Boston to spend some time with family before I go back out to sea again. I'd be happy to show you around town when we arrive, and bring you to your cousin's house if needed."_

 _"That would be much appreciated," Grace nodded, her cheeks flushing crimson once more at his gesture. So he was a sailor. There was something so mysterious, dangerous, even, dare she think it… romantic, about sailors. Out on the sea, braving the elements, the sun beating down upon his tanned face as he trimmed the sails, steering the ship with his strong arms… She began to fan herself again and turned her head to glance out the window of the stagecoach. Her eyes widened in surprise and she dropped the fan to her lap as she beheld the vast expanse of blue before her, dotted with the masts of what must have been a hundred ships. "Is that… the ocean?"_

 _"Yep, that's the Atlantic Ocean" James replied, smiling again, "the city of Plymouth is a port town too, so you'll be able to see the Ocean every day."_

 _Grace breathed deeply, inhaling the salty sea air._

 _"I think I'm going to like Plymouth," she said, glancing out the window at the ocean as it slowly faded away while the stagecoach turned inland. She turned to face James and realized that she would be enjoying the next few months much more than she had first anticipated. Much, much more._

* * *

Suddenly, a rapping noise woke Grace Thatcher from her reverie.

"Mrs. Thatcher," Constable Williams knocked on the stagecoach door, "We need to stop for a moment to rest the horses. If you'd like to step out and stretch your legs, I'd be happy to assist."

"Yes, thank you, Constable," she replied, straightening her hat before she took the Constable's hand and stepped out into the crisp fall day.

"Is this your first time visiting your daughter in Hope Valley?" he asked as he led his horse to a small creek for a drink.

"Yes, yes it is," Grace looked around her, at the mountains which had become considerably closer since the last time she had looked outside, "and I have to say, I can see why she likes it out here. It is quite lovely."

"Yes, that it is," the Constable stopped at the riverbed, carefully holding the reins as his horse stooped to drink, "it can be dangerous, but for views like these, it's worth it."

Grace frowned, twisting her handkerchief as she started walking back towards the stagecoach. She knew that her daughters were both strong, determined women, but she still worried about them out here in this wilderness. Not so much for their safety, but for the safety of the men that they loved.

* * *

 _"Gracie," James smiled as they walked along the boardwalk near the shoreline in Plymouth, her arm linked through his as she leaned ever so slightly into his strong shoulder, "I've really enjoyed these past couple of months."_

 _"Me too, James," she stopped and looked up at him, losing herself in those blue eyes of his, "I wish I didn't have to leave tomorrow to go back to Hamilton."_

 _James reached his hand out and touched her cheek, sending shivers up her spine, "Then don't go. Stay here, in Plymouth. I'm sure your cousin would love for you to extend your visit. And…" he looked down for a moment, trying to gather the courage to say the words that his heart had been longing to give voice to, "I… I want you to stay."_

 _"James," she sighed as tears began to fill her blue-green eyes._

 _"I know we have only known each other for two months, but I feel like in that time, I've found everything I've ever been looking for. Even my sailor's love of the sea pales in comparison to the way I feel… for you," James looked deeply into her eyes, brushing his rough, calloused thumb against her soft, porcelain skin. "I… I love you, Grace Porter."_

 _A tear cascaded down Grace's cheek and James brushed it away as she breathed in reply, "Oh James… I love you too!"_

 _He took her in his arms then, kissed her with the passion of a man who had found his heart's desire, and she returned the kiss, happier at that moment than she had ever been in her entire life._

* * *

"It won't be too much longer, Mrs. Thatcher," Constable Williams closed the door behind her and started to ride ahead, to check the road for danger. It had been well over a month since the mudslide, but he wanted to be certain that it was safe.

Grace settled back into her seat, closing her eyes and remembering that day… that day when everything had changed.

* * *

 _"Just one week, Gracie," James kissed Grace's forehead, then tucked an errant auburn curl behind her ear. "I'll be back before you know it, and we can start to plan our wedding."_

 _"Why can't I come to Boston with you? We can get married there, at the courthouse, and then you can come to Hamilton with me, and meet my family. Oh, they will love you just as much as I do!"_

 _"I sincerely doubt that they could feel that strongly about a sailor who swept their only daughter off her feet in two months' time," James chuckled, "at least not in a positive way."_

 _"Oh, they'll learn to love you. And my father is a merchant in Hamilton. He can get you a job in the shipyard there. I know it's not the ocean, but it is a busy shipping port, and then there's Cape Fullerton to the north."_

 _"Anywhere I go, I'll be happy, as long as I'm with you, my dearest," James took her in his arms, holding her tightly although he knew he had to let her go, "but I need to go to Boston, to finish up some business. It won't take long. I promise." He pulled away, took her hand in his and kissed it before taking her in his arms once more._

 _The stagecoach rolled closer then and came to a stop, the driver stepping down and opening the door for the passengers to Boston._

 _"Goodbye, sweetheart," James kissed her one last time, and then slipped into the stagecoach, leaving the salty taste of the sea, and his tears, on the lips of the woman he loved._

* * *

A single tear streamed down Grace Thatcher's cheek as the opened her eyes. James. Sweet James. Her first love. How differently her life would have been, if not for the events that had followed that fateful day.

* * *

 _"Looks like a pretty bad storm brewing out there," Susan looked out the window at the waves crashing on the shore, "I hope your James is all right. He wouldn't go out to sea in this… would he?"_

 _"No… of course not," Grace rocked little Catherine in her arms as the rain began to fall, splattering against the windows slowly at first, then faster, until soon she could no longer see more than a few feet past the window. Grace wanted to believe her cousin's words, truly she did. But what if James was in his boat for one last sail, and the storm had come so fast. Surely he would not have seen it coming until…_

 _CRACK!_

 _A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, a jagged knife slicing through the rain until it made contact with an oak tree by the boardwalk. The one that James had carved their initials into a month ago, at the beginning of their whirlwind courtship. It shattered, sending splinters in all directions, and shattering one of the windows in the front of the house. Grace screamed, sinking to her knees as Susan rushed to her side and took the now crying baby from her arms._

 _"We need to go to the cellar," Susan took Grace's hand, "Now."_

 _The news came three days later, after the storm cleared. Her first hurricane and she had survived it. Susan's house was badly damaged. It would need a new roof, several new windows and repairs to the walls and foundation. But it was still standing, and the three of them had survived, no worse for the wear. Grace walked to the telegram office amidst the wreckage, hoping to hear news from Boston that James was safe, and on his way home to her._

 _"I'm sorry," the postman shook his head as Grace stepped inside the bell from the door ringing above her, "nothing yet. I hear Boston got hit pretty hard though. Especially the shipyard." He paused, and then continued when he saw Grace's reaction, "I'm sure James will be fine, though. He's been through worse."_

 _"I…I hope so too," Grace turned and reached to open the door, as the telegram machine started clicking behind the counter._

 _The postman frowned, and then picked up a glass of water, turning his attention to the incoming telegram. His eyes widened as the message began to print…_

 _"Inform Mr. and Mrs. Johnston… James Johnston has been reported lost at sea… no sign of him or his vessel in three days… last spotted in Boston Harbor"_

 _With those last words, the postman dropped his glass. As it shattered on the floor, Grace turned to see the look of horror on his face and felt her breath catch in her throat as the world around her faded to black._


	6. Chapter 6 - Moving forward, looking back

_Lying on her bed, black crepe billowing around her, Grace Porter wept, her tears soaking her feather pillow as her shoulders heaved in sorrow. James, the love of her life… was gone. And she never got to say goodbye to him. At least not a proper goodbye. She could still remember how they had parted; him kissing her before leaving on the stagecoach. She could still taste the salt of his tears on her lips – or was that from her own?_

 _There wasn't even a funeral, as his body was never found. There was only a memorial service, held in Plymouth to honor his short life. Initially, she had held on to a shred of hope that James was still alive, that he had washed up on one of the islands off the coast of Massachusetts and was waiting to be rescued. But as days turned into weeks, it became clear that he really was gone. And with him any hope of happiness or joy in her life._

" _Grace, dear," Mrs. Porter called through the door, "Please come downstairs and have something to eat."_

" _I…I c-c-can't eat," Grace replied between sobs, "h-how can I p-possibly go on?"_

 _Jane Porter opened the door to her daughter's bedroom, quietly walked in and sat on the bed, laying a hand on her daughter's back. She had known that this would happen. Maybe not exactly this situation, but she knew when Grace had left for Plymouth three months ago, with ideas in her head of a grand, romantic adventure, that it would end in heartbreak. It broke her own heart to see Grace in such a state of despair, but she knew that this, like all tragedies in life, would eventually fade. Her daughter would rise from it, stronger than she had been, and ready to face the next chapter in her life. She just needed a little nudge._

" _I know it's only been two weeks, dear, but you can't stay in here forever," Jane consoled her daughter, "there's a benefit tonight, at the ballroom downtown. There will be many fine young men in attendance. One in particular, a Mr. William Thatcher, was inquiring about you while you were away."_

 _Grace sniffled and slowly sat up in bed, her eyes red and puffy from hours of crying. "William Thatcher… I think I remember him. We went to school together. But he's so wealthy, what could he possibly want in me?"_

" _Oh, dear, I think you're selling yourself short," Jane gently chided her daughter; "His family and ours have been friends for a good long while. He has been admiring you for years."_

 _Grace looked out the window at the garden outside. She hadn't realized it, but the sun was shining and the roses were in bloom. When she had left, the trees had just begun to bud. Was it really summertime already? Had that much time passed? It felt like she had been in Plymouth for years instead of just three months. She thought of William Thatcher. Yes, he was handsome, and kind. She didn't feel for him, though, the way she had felt for James. He didn't make her heart race. He didn't bring a blush to her cheeks with his eyes or his smile. Grace knew she would never feel that way for anyone ever again. However; Grace looked at her mother, who smiled kindly as she smoothed the auburn curls on her head, much like she had when Grace was a child, and knew that her mother only wanted what was best for her._

" _All…all right," Grace took a deep breath, forcing a weak smile, "I'll go."_

" _Splendid!" Jane stood and walked to Grace's closet, looking at all of the dresses before pulling out a gown of pale blue silk edged in lace, "Here. I think this would be lovely, don't you think?"_

 _Grace looked at the gown, then at her mother, and finally her eyes rested on the black crepe dress gathered around her on the bed. She didn't want to wear a fancy ball gown. She was in mourning. But one look from her mother, and she knew that she couldn't very well walk into a party in a mourning gown. Grace would have to bravely face the world, whether she was ready for it or not._

 _Several hours later, Grace stood in the ballroom, sipping punch and starting to feel a little bit better as she watched couples glide over the dance floor. She swayed to the music, glancing about to see if this William Thatcher was around. Best to get it over with, she thought to herself. Then I can show mother and father that I'm not ready to start courting yet and…_

" _Miss Porter?" a gentle voice caught her attention and she turned to see a handsome gentleman, in a crisp black suit and tie. He didn't take her breath away like James had, but something in his blue-grey eyes was familiar to her. He smiled and held out his hand, to which Grace instinctively replied by laying her own on top of it, "I just want to say, I am terribly sorry for your loss. I know how difficult it must have been for you to come here tonight, when you are still in mourning, but I must say," he leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on her gloved hand, "I am rather pleased to see you."_

" _William!" Grace heard her father's voice from behind her as he extended his hand._

 _Grace found her lips curving upwards in a smile as the slightest blush colored her cheeks. After her father and William exchanged pleasantries, William turned to Grace and held out his hand once more, "Miss Porter… Grace, if I may, would you do me the honor of this dance?"_

 _Smiling in a way that she hadn't in weeks, she put her hand in his and looked up into his eyes, seeing a kindness, a genuine concern that no other man had shown her since she had returned to Hamilton. As they walked onto the dance floor, Grace thought to herself that maybe, just maybe, she might someday love again._

* * *

Elizabeth and Julie stood on the platform in front of the stagecoach office, waiting for it to arrive. Julie nervously paced between the café and the stagecoach platform, walking, and then sitting, and then walking again so much that eventually Charlotte sat next to her in front of the café and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Please, Julie," Charlotte looked at her daughter-in-law, "I know you're nervous, but do you have to make the rest of us nervous with your pacing? My goodness, the last time I saw someone that anxious was when the boys were younger, about 10 and 12, I think. They were swimming in the river one day and Tom took Jack's clothes back to the house with him while Jack wasn't looking. I saw him run upstairs, clutching that bundle of clothing, muffling giggles and I knew something was up. It wasn't until I heard Jack holler that I knew what had happened. Tom was standing at the top of the stairs and I made him stop and face what he had done. He paced back and forth so much at the top of those stairs while Jack was making his way back to the house; I'm surprised he didn't wear a rut in the floor."

"Ma," Jack interrupted, having heard the story from where he stood on the platform, "do you really have to share stories like that?"

"Well, it helped calm her nerves, so I'd say yes," Charlotte nodded.

Charlotte was right, Julie did feel better. Imagining her husband as a child, more nervous than she was at the moment, had a way of putting everything into perspective. She smiled as she thought of those bright blue eyes of his and didn't even notice that the stagecoach was approaching until it had stopped in front of them.

"Good morning, Jack," the Mountie escort offered a sharp salute, then smiled as he stepped off of his horse and reached for the door to the stagecoach.

"Good morning, Constable Williams," Jack offered a salute in reply, "I trust your journey was a good one."

"Well, yes, there was just the one passenger," he opened the door then and out stepped Grace Thatcher. She looked around her, smiling at her surroundings. It certainly was different here than in any place she had ever been. No cars, just the occasional wagon or man on horseback, and all of the citizens greeted each other as if they were lifelong friends. She could see why Elizabeth liked it here so much; life here was certainly more laid back than in the city of Hamilton.

She then turned her attention to the group standing on the platform. Elizabeth and Jack stood arm in arm, a bright ruby ring glittering on her daughter's finger. Despite her husband's opinion of Jack, Grace could see that Elizabeth loved him, and that meant more to her than anything.

"Elizabeth!" she called out, her arms opened wide as she stepped towards the both of them.

"Mother!" Elizabeth released Jack's arm and embraced her mother, who then turned and welcomed Jack into the embrace. He looked over the shoulder of his future mother-in-law at Charlotte, his expression one of confusion at the warm greeting he had received. She simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled back, as befuddled as he was.

"So," Grace stepped back, and looked left, then right, "where is… Julie."

She put her hand to her lips as her youngest daughter stood from a bench in front of a building marked "Abigail's Café". She leaned slightly, adjusting for her newly expanded center of gravity, and took the hand of a tall woman standing next to her.

Julie looked up at her mother and tears began to well up in her eyes.

Grace felt a lump form in her throat.

Each took one step, then two.

"Mother!"

"Oh, Julie," Grace ran to her daughter, taking the young woman into her arms, kissing her forehead, "Oh, I'm so glad you're safe. I was so worried when you ran away."

Julie pulled back slightly, tears streaming down her cheeks and looked at her mother, "you're not… not angry with me?"

"Well, yes, I am," Grace brushed a tear from her eye before it had a chance to be seen, "but none of that matters now. You're here, and you're safe." She took Julie in her arms again.

Abigail and Frank had just stepped outside and witnessed the tender exchange between Julie and Mrs. Thatcher.

Frank turned to Abigail and smiled, "Now we must celebrate and rejoice, because she was lost and has been found."

"I couldn't have said it better myself." Abigail replied.

* * *

After several moments, Grace pulled back from Julie and fully took in the sight before her. She could hardly believe that her daughter was not only married, but with child as well. And from the look of things, at least six months along. She turned then to the woman standing next to Julie as she stepped forward.

"Hello," the woman held out her hand, "You must be Grace Thatcher. A pleasure to meet you. I'm Charlotte Thornton, Jack and Tom's mother."

"Oh!" Grace offered a warm smile as she took Charlotte's hand, "A pleasure to meet you as well. I have heard quite a bit about you from Elizabeth. And where is my son-in-law?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Elizabeth began, "I wanted to keep my telegram as short as possible. Tom is back in Fort McClain. Julie traveled here alone."

"Julie!" Grace looked back her daughter, her expression a mix of disappointment and concern, "I'm glad you made it here safely, but honestly dear, that was hardly a wise decision, given your condition."

"I know," Julie bowed her head, "and I'm sorry. Tom is actually on his way here. Jack wired him a week ago. He just needed to finish up some work to earn enough money for the train ticket."

"Well, once your father sees that you are alive and well, I'm sure he will give you any money you need, to return home, and for the baby."

"By home, do you mean Fort McClain, or Hamilton?" Julie asked, stepping back to distance herself from what she was sure would follow.

"Well," Grace began, "I'm sure you must know that your father and I would want you to come back to Hamilton."

Julie rolled her eyes then. This is where her mother was going to try to convince her to leave Tom, come home, and let her parents take care of the "situation". Suddenly a wave of resolve surged within her. She wasn't going to let her mother tell her what to do. Julie was about to open her mouth in retort when her mother spoke again.

"But you are a married woman now, and as such, you will have to discuss it with your husband. If you want to return to Fort McClain, we may not be happy about it, but we will respect your wishes. Well, at least I will."

"Oh," Julie replied, her eyes wide as she took in the words her mother had spoken, "I... I don't know what to say. Thank you."

Elizabeth exchanged a surprised glance with Jack. She didn't know what had happened to her mother on the journey west, but she had changed. Softened, somehow.

Jack stepped forward then. "Mrs. Thatcher, if I may; where is your husband?"

"Well," Grace offered a wry smile, "Mr. Thatcher was away in Cape Fullerton on business, so I came here alone. I thought it would be best, to spare Julie from the scrutiny of her father."

"Mother!" Julie said, smiling in return.

"What can I say," Grace shrugged her shoulders; "I suppose the proverbial apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Speaking of apples, I just finished making an apple pie. Shall we all go inside to rest, and have some?" Abigail offered.

"As nice as that sounds, Abigail," Grace began, "I've been sitting for the past hour. I'd like to stretch my legs and see more of this town. For instance, where is this schoolhouse of yours?"

"Just this way, Mrs. Thatcher," Jack offered his arm, which Grace gladly accepted. They all started walking down the street, Jack and Elizabeth pointing out the saloon, Lee's office, Dottie's dress shop, and the jail. Jack saw Bill Avery standing in front and excused himself to go take care of some business. Perhaps Gowen had begun to recover and was ready to be questioned about what had led to his flight from Hope Valley.

Elizabeth, Julie, and Grace continued onward towards the church. Some children ran up to them, eager to discover the identity of the woman walking with their teacher.

"Good Morning, Miss Thatcher!" Cody, Opal, Emily and Miles called out to her.

"Hello, children," Elizabeth greeted them; "This is my mother, Mrs. Thatcher. She just arrived today from Hamilton!"

"Welcome to Hope Valley, Mrs. Thatcher," Emily looked up at the woman with a sweet smile.

"Hello dear, and thank you," Grace replied.

"If you miss Hamilton too much, you can borrow Brownie," Opal held up her teddy bear.

"Oh, that is so sweet, Opal," Elizabeth gently touched the girl's cheek.

Grace smiled at the children gathered around her daughter. Seeing her with Jack, and now with these sweet children that obviously adored their teacher, it was clear to her that this was where her daughter belonged.

"I'm showing my mother around town today, but I will see all of you in class tomorrow," Elizabeth explained to her students. They waved goodbye and ran down the street to their waiting parents while Elizabeth, Julie, and their mother walked onward through town. Soon the street opened up and before them they could see the church in the distance, reflected in the still waters of the pond.

"Oh my," Grace took in the sight of the white building before her. Memories flooded to the surface of her mind as she remembered a day many years ago…

 _Walking up the steps of a nearly identical church in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the stiff fabric of her skirt rustled softly as Grace Porter walked through the doors, her vision obscured by the black veil covering her eyes. Bursting into tears, she turned and ran back down the steps. This was supposed to be their wedding day. She should have been wearing a dress of white lace, not black crepe. She should have been carrying a bouquet of roses, not a single white lily to put on the empty casket in the front of the church._

"Mother," Elizabeth stopped and looked at her mother, "Are you all right? Do you need to rest?"

"I'm fine," Grace replied, "Your church; it reminded me of another one I've been inside of, a long time ago."

"But, this church isn't like any of the ones in Hamilton, Mother," Julie said, confused.

"It wasn't in Hamilton," Grace said softly, then paused as she gathered her thoughts. She had never told any of her daughters about her past. However; in light of the current events, it seemed like a good time to share that part of her life with them.

"It was twenty-five years ago, before I married your father, in the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts."


	7. Chapter 7 - Mothers and Daughters

****Author's note: A BIG THANK YOU to everyone so far for their wonderful reviews of my story. I really appreciate them. It's been fun for me to get back to writing again and your encouraging words mean more to me than you will ever know.**

 **This chapter is a bit more fluff, as will be the next one, but there is some drama coming, I promise!**

 **Also a big thank you to NuGirl (Emma) who reviewed this chapter for me. Beta readers rock! :D  
**

Chapter 7

"His name was James Johnston," Grace began, once they had arrived at the church and sat down on a pew towards the back. Elizabeth started a fire in the stove to keep them warm, smiling as she saw a few water spots on the floor and thought of the night a week before when Jack had proposed.

"When I was eighteen years old, I went to Plymouth, Massachusetts to visit my cousin Susan, to help her with her new baby," Grace began. "It was such an adventure to me, much like coming west was for you, Elizabeth. I took a train from Hamilton to Boston, and from there I took a stagecoach to Plymouth. That's when I met him."

Julie leaned forward; hanging on her mother's every word with wide eyed anticipation. It wasn't every day that she learned her mother had been in love with someone before meeting her father.

"What did he look like?" Julie asked, "was he handsome?"

"Yes, very," Grace replied, looking down at her lap, "Your Tom actually reminds me a lot of him. Maybe that's why it was so difficult for me to see you with him. It brought back too many painful memories." She glanced out the window then, towards the horizon.

" _So, tell me more about your family, Miss Porter," James glanced at the beautiful woman sitting next to him. They had arrived in Plymouth an hour ago and after a short walk to his family home, he had hitched up a wagon to take her on a tour of the town. He couldn't believe the hand that fate had dealt him. The moment he had seen her step into the stagecoach in Boston, his heart had done a funny little leap and he had felt excited, nervous and scared all at the same time. Being a sailor, James had certainly had his share of experience with the fairer sex, but there was something about this woman in particular that made all of the others fade into the background. During the five hours they had spent on the stagecoach, most of it in companionable silence, he had wanted nothing more than for the other passengers to disappear, so he could get to know her better. Now though, now he had his chance._

" _Well," Grace began, stealing a glance in his direction as she fanned herself. Oh those eyes… "I am from Hamilton. It's near Toronto, just on the other side of Lake Erie."_

" _Yes, I'm familiar with Hamilton. I've done business there before, once or twice" James replied, "I am surprised though, that I have never seen you before. I know I would have remembered a face like yours."_

 _Grace blushed as she hid behind her fan, "Mr. Johnston… how forward of you!"_

" _My apologies, Ma'am," he nodded, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."_

 _Grace took a breath, "I suppose I can forgive one indiscretion," she smiled as her eyes met his once again. "And in response to your comment, Hamilton is a rather large city, and I have spent much of the past two years preparing for my debutante ball," she grinned a little as she continued, "I must say, I believe I created quite the stir when I announced to my parents that I planned to come here that evening, in front of all of the guests and suitors. I just wasn't ready to be married off into high society. I wanted to explore, to discover, to_ _ **live**_ _."_

 _James arched his eyebrows as he looked at Grace in a newfound appreciation and respect. As the women's suffrage movement had begun to spread through North America, several women had developed previously unheard of notions of independence, but these instances were few and far between. Most of the women he had met had only one thing on their minds – marriage and children. It was refreshing to meet one who wanted more._

" _As you can imagine," Grace continued, "my parents were furious. I compromised with them and agreed to stay with my cousin, to help her with her baby. I convinced them that it would be good for me, to fully immerse myself in housekeeping and the care of children."_

 _Smiling, James shook his head, "And you accuse me of being forward. I believe you owe me an apology."_

 _Grace blushed yet again. Oh, the effect this man had on her. It was exhilarating, like nothing she had ever felt before._

" _Alright, then, I apologize, Mr. Johnston," Grace set down her fan and grinned, "And please call me Grace. I will be here in Plymouth for at least two months, so I am certain we will be seeing a good deal more of each other."_

 _James pulled the wagon to a stop in front of her cousin's house. He jumped from his seat, quickly and easily removing Grace's suitcases and setting them by the front gate before turning to help Grace out of the wagon._

" _I accept your apology," he smiled as he held out his hand and she set her own on top of it. She had removed her gloves during the wagon ride and the soft feel of her skin against his sent shivers up his spine. "And please, call me James."_

 _As Grace placed her hand in his, she felt a tingle of electricity shoot through her. Stepping down from the carriage, she let her hand linger in his; oblivious to the rough callouses that covered it from years at sea. The tender way he held out his hand for her to alight from the wagon spoke of a kindness, a gentle manner that she never would have expected from a sailor._

" _Grace!" Susan called from the front door of the house, a tiny baby swaddled in her arms, "So nice to see you!"_

 _Grace removed her hand from James' and ran to her cousin, embracing her and then stepping back to admire the bundle she was holding, "Oh, what a sweet babe," she cooed, a maternal instinct stirring inside of her, "May I?"_

" _Yes, please," she handed the baby to Grace, and then looked up at James, who was standing at the gate in front of his wagon._

" _Mr. Johnston," Susan called to him as she approached the gate, "what brings you here, and how is it that you are acquainted with my cousin?"_

" _We met on the stagecoach, Mrs. Smith. I offered to bring your cousin here, and to show her around Plymouth."_

 _Grace looked at her cousin in surprise, "Susie, you know Mr. Johnston?"_

" _Yes," she smiled, "his family is quite well-known here in town. They own a restaurant down by the ocean. Perhaps he will take you there sometime."_

 _Grace's eyes widened at the bold suggestion of her cousin. Were her feelings for James really that obvious?_

" _Well, I must be going," James picked up the suitcases and carried them closer to the house, then walked back to the wagon and grabbed his hat._

" _Please, do say you will stay for dinner," Susan offered, "One of my neighbors brought over some clam chowder and fresh bread and there is plenty to go around. It's the least I can do to thank you for bringing Grace here."_

" _Thank you, Ma'am," James tipped his hat, and then looked at Grace for a moment, his gaze lingering on her. The image of her holding and rocking Susan Smith's baby in her arms stirred in him a longing that he had never known existed. For a moment he pictured himself and Grace in a small house by the sea, her sitting on a rocking chair and holding a similar child, their child._

 _Blushing, he lowered his hat. "I would greatly appreciate that. I just need to bring my wagon back home and clean up a bit. I'll be back shortly." He climbed up into his wagon, tipping the brim of his hat in Grace's direction before he snapped the reins and urged the horses onward._

" _So," Susan reached for the now squirming baby in Grace's arms as the wagon rolled down the street, "What do you think of Mr. Johnston? You do know he's a sailor," she offered in a warning tone._

" _Yes," Grace breathed, then snapped out of her reverie to give a sideways glance to her cousin, "I mean, yes, I am aware of his profession. And before you get any ideas into your head, I am not looking for a suitor here in Plymouth."_

" _Of course not," Susan rolled her eyes as she opened the door and let Grace inside._

 _Grace glared back at her cousin, then reached back to pick up her suitcases, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of James' wagon as it disappeared around the corner._

* * *

" _That was delicious chowder," James wiped his mouth with a napkin._

" _Thank you," Susan replied as she reached for his bowl, "I wish I could take credit, but with the baby, I've hardly had time to cook. It is only by the grace of God and the generosity of my kind neighbors that I have food on the table each night."_

" _Well, now that I'm here, I can help," Grace stood, taking the bowl before Susan could, her fingers brushing lightly against James' wrist in the process, "I can't say I know too much about cooking, but I will do what I can."_

" _And I appreciate it more than you know," Susan smiled as she walked over to the cradle in the corner, where her daughter was sleeping peacefully._

 _James stood then, placing his napkin on the table, "Well, if you will excuse me, ladies, I really must be going home. My mother baked a cake this afternoon to celebrate my homecoming and it would be rude of me to not be home in time for dessert."_

" _I can walk you out," Grace offered as the baby began to voice a cry of hunger._

 _Once outside, Grace shivered in the ocean breeze. "Goodness, it sure does get chilly here at night."_

" _Wait here a moment," James quickly walked over to his horse. Reaching into the saddlebag, he removed a beautiful white shawl, then walked back over to Grace and placed it over her shoulders._

 _Grace's eyes widened, "Where did you…"_

" _It's my sister's," James explained, "She's always leaving her shawl in there."_

" _Oh, but I couldn't," Grace objected as she started to remove it._

" _No, it's all right. She has plenty more at home. She does quite a bit of knitting, so she has more shawls and blankets than she knows what to do with."_

" _But still, I can't keep this, not without repaying her in some way," she relented and wrapped the warm shawl around her shoulders. It smelled of saddle soap and salt._

" _Well, if it makes you feel any better, you can bring it back tomorrow. We live around the corner and just down the street. Big white house. You can't miss it."_

 _Grace blushed, looking up into his eyes once more as they reflected the moonlight._

" _And…" James added as he took her right hand in his, "perhaps you could join me for dinner tomorrow night?"_

" _I…" Grace's eyes widened as a smile spread across her face, "I will have to ask my cousin, but…"_

" _She'll accept," Susan called out from inside, having heard their conversation through the door that Grace had forgotten to close, "and can you close the door please Grace? I don't want Catherine getting cold from the draft."_

 _Grace blushed as she pulled the door shut behind her with her left hand, then looked back up at James, who was grinning at her, his eyes sparkling with merriment._

" _Yes, I accept your offer of dinner, Mr. Johnst…. I mean, James."_

" _Thank you," James replied, "I'll see you tomorrow night then, at seven o'clock? I'll pick you up."_

" _But the shawl… your sister," Grace began._

" _You'll have the chance to give it to her. The restaurant I'm taking you to… it's the lower level of my family home. My sister actually helps out quite a bit, so I'm sure you'll get to meet her. And after she meets you, I wouldn't be surprised if she insisted that you keep the shawl."_

" _Oh," she smiled in reply, her cheeks blooming crimson._

" _Goodnight, Grace," James brought her hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on the back of it before lifting his eyes in a tender smile and releasing her hand from his gentle grasp._

" _Goodnight, James," Grace smiled, her own green eyes shining in the moonlight as she watched him walk away, her heart pounding in her chest._

 _James glanced back at her one last time before mounting his horse. Man, she sure was beautiful. He couldn't wait for dinner tomorrow night, to see her again. And hopefully every night after that for as long as she stayed in Plymouth._

* * *

 _A few months later…_

" _Grace," Emily Johnston called softly as she descended the stairs towards the figure in the black crape dress who was sitting on the bottom step._

 _Grace brought her head up, turning around to see James' sister walking towards her. She quickly blotted her tears with her already soaked handkerchief, "I'm sorry, Emily," she looked down, "I… I just can't go in there. It's… It's too…"_

" _Shhhh," Emily sat next to Grace and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, like a shawl to comfort her grieving friend, "It's all right. I understand. I just wanted to give this to you. I found it in James' room, when mother and I were going through his things. I think he meant to give it to you, before…" her voice trailed off as she presented a small leather pouch to Grace._

 _Taking it in her shaking hands, Grace took a deep breath and loosened the drawstring, then reached inside. Her fingers touched something round and cool. Pulling it out she gasped when she saw what it was… a compass._

" _Oh my," she exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears, "I can't… this should go to your mother, or your father, not to me."_

" _Turn it over," Emily reached over and flipped the compass over to reveal a message._

 _Through her tears, Grace read the tiny message engraved on the back of the compass._

' _If you ever lose your way, I'll be right here'_

* * *

"Oh, mother," Elizabeth sighed as Julie blotted at her own tears, "I'm so sorry…"

"Well, it is in the past," Grace took a deep breath to compose herself, "but that experience was, and still is, a big part of me. It took me a long time to get over my loss, but your father was there, never questioning, never jealous or unkind. He let me grieve and then he was there to pick up the pieces of my broken heart."

"But why share this with us?" Julie looked at her mother in confusion through her tears.

"I was thinking about it on my way here, and I realized something," Grace Thatcher reached out and took her daughters' hands in her own, "The way I felt for James, it's the same way that the two of you feel for Tom and Jack. I was wrong to try to get in your way. I guess," she gazed off then, as if watching the memory fade away into the distance, "I wanted to protect you, both of you. I thought that if you both married into high society like Viola, you would never have to endure the kind of heartbreak that I did. I'm so sorry, and I hope you can forgive me." She squeezed her daughters' hands and looked at each of their faces, seeing in both of them reflections of her own youth.

"Of course we can forgive you, Mother," they both replied, tears running down their faces.

"Oh, sweet girls," Grace put an arm around each of them, welcoming them into a warm, motherly embrace, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Mother," they both said in turn as they leaned into her.

"Now…"she released them both after a moment and looked at Elizabeth, taking her daughter's left hand in her own and admiring the ruby ring on it, "I believe we have a wedding to plan!"


	8. Chapter 8 - A Chill in the Air

Chapter 8

 _In the days following mother's arrival, she has slowly grown accustomed to life in Hope Valley. While Hope Valley certainly not a bustling city like Hamilton, she has admitted that life here has its charms. However, after mother stayed in one of the saloon boarding rooms the night of her arrival, and her sleep was rudely interrupted by a drunken man knocking on her door in the wee hours of the morning, Charlotte insisted that she had officially overstayed her welcome and would be moving to a room at the saloon so that mother could stay here with Julie and me. I have to admit that I am happy to be able to eat meals without lard. Also, it has been wonderful to be able to sleep past the hour of five o'clock in the morning, although I did rise early the morning after Charlotte left, out of habit._

 _I believe that being here appeals to the sense of adventure that prompted mother's journey twenty-five years ago. It is amazing how much closer we have become through the bond of our shared spirit of adventure. While I doubt that father would encourage such discussions as we have had in the past week, learning of mother's past has endeared me to her in a way that I never thought possible. She even came to school with me yesterday to share with the children what she knew about Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock. I know it must have been hard for her to revisit that time in her life, but she bears the heartbreak with such grace that no one could sense any discomfort on her part. She is truly an embodiment of her name._

* * *

"My goodness, it sure is getting cold," Grace shivered as they walked into town one week after her arrival. She pulled the coat she had borrowed from Elizabeth tight around her neck. All around them, the grass and the leaves on the trees sparkled silver from the frost that could be seen in the morning. It was one of the most beautiful things Grace had ever seen; it rivaled even the most elaborate Christmas light display in Hamilton.

"It is unusual to have a frost this early in the valley," Elizabeth commented, her breath coming out in white puffs as she spoke, "I hope Abigail's garden survived. The last time a frost came this early, her garden and every other one in Hope Valley suffered greatly."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Julie added, "Abigail is so resourceful. I imagine she probably put some blankets and hot water bottles out there to keep the plants warm."

Elizabeth smiled, shaking her head at the picture her sister had just painted. Looking up, she frowned slightly as she saw the gray sky that loomed to the north. Snow could be seen falling at higher elevations up in the mountains surrounding the town, and from the wind direction, it wouldn't be too much longer before the icy precipitation came to Hope Valley. A gust of wind made her shiver and pull her own coat tighter around her body.

As they got closer to town, Julie quickened her pace.

"A little eager to get to town this morning, are we?" Elizabeth teased her sister, "It doesn't happen to have anything to do with the stagecoach coming today?"

Julie smiled in agreement, then started walking even faster; or rather, as fast as her current condition would allow.

"If I remember correctly, you weren't nearly this excited to meet the stagecoach a week ago." Elizabeth called out.

"Tom wasn't on the stagecoach a week ago!" Julie called over her shoulder as she continued towards town. Elizabeth glanced at her mother, and then at her sister who wasn't running so much as she was waddling towards town. She shook her head and laughed at her sister's enthusiasm. However, it had been over two weeks since Julie had seen her husband. Her current emotions were understandable.

Once they reached the town, all three women hurried into the warm café. Abigail was already setting three teacups on a table, as she had seen them approaching through the window.

"Good morning, ladies," Abigail went to the kitchen to get a teapot and poured hot tea for all of them, then returned to get a platter of warm cinnamon biscuits.

Elizabeth excused herself and followed Abigail back to the kitchen to help and to talk to her friend. Ever since moving to the row house earlier that year, she had missed their daily chats.

"How did your garden fare through this frost?" Elizabeth asked as she put some biscuits on a plate. One of these days she needed to spend some time with Abigail, learning how to bake. Some of her cooking skills had improved since coming to Hope Valley, and she was confident that she could learn to make a few more meals besides shepherd's pie. Maybe she could even make a few desserts as well that were better than the chocolate cake she had made for the miners' games two years ago. What a disaster that was!

"I haven't checked yet," Abigail replied, removing another tray of biscuits from the oven, "but I did pick the last of the tomatoes and peppers yesterday afternoon. There were just a few beans left, but I covered them so they should be fine."

"I hope so," Elizabeth looked out the window, just as two large snowflakes drifted past it. Hopefully this wouldn't delay the stagecoach. She didn't know how much longer her sister could wait for Tom to arrive. She was so anxious she looked like she could jump out of her seat at any moment.

Then there were the people in the settlement – they had just moved to higher ground a little over a month ago and were far from ready for a snowstorm. Elizabeth was worried about them, especially the children. Just as she was about to mention it to Abigail, Frank walked into the kitchen through the side door.

"Good morning, Elizabeth, Abigail," Frank nodded to the ladies, giving a warm smile to the latter, "bit of a snowstorm brewing out there. Jack just told me that he got a telegram from Cape Fullerton. They have 6 inches of snow already. It's not too bad here yet, but I'd like to take some blankets and coats to the settlement."

"I can ask around to see if anyone has blankets that they can spare," Abigail offered as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"I can watch over the café," Clara said as she came down the stairs and tied an apron around her waist.

"Thank you, Clara," Abigail put on her coat and opened the door, "I shouldn't be too long."

Elizabeth picked up the plate of biscuits and Clara set to work taking the rest of the biscuits that Abigail had just removed from the oven off the baking sheet and onto a large platter. Thankfully there were only a few people in the café at the moment. Clara supposed everyone else was at home, keeping warm. Only Elizabeth, Julie, Mrs. Thatcher, and two others were seated. She picked up a pot of coffee and headed out into the dining room, following Elizabeth.

"Here you go," Elizabeth set the plate of biscuits on the table and sat next to Julie, who eagerly grabbed one and started to devour it.

"Oh, I so missed these!" she said between bites.

"Julie! Your manners!" Grace chastised her daughter.

Julie swallowed and bowed her head, then took a quick sip of tea. "Sorry," she took another quick bite, then chewed and swallowed before she continued, "But I am eating for two now, and I've been so hungry lately. I suppose this little one must be doing a lot of growing."

"Well, yes," Grace agreed, "but that doesn't mean you can abandon proper table manners. My goodness, you're getting crumbs and frosting all over that new dress that Clara made for you."

"It's quite all right, Mrs. Thatcher," Clara walked up to their table and offered a kind smile, "It really didn't take me too long to make it. I can easily make another. I'll need the practice, after all. Or at least Dottie seems to think so. She's convinced with all of these weddings that there will soon be a baby boom here in Hope Valley."

She turned to Elizabeth then, "That reminds me, I have a few sketches of wedding dress designs, if you'd like to look at them. I was able to get three samples of lace from the mercantile too."

Julie's eyes grew wide and a smile spread over her face as she swallowed the last bite of her third biscuit. She finished her tea and catching yet another disapproving glance from her mother, picked up her napkin and daintily touched it to her lips before laying it on her rounded belly.

"Ooh, yes!" Julie exclaimed, "I'd love to see them, wouldn't you, Elizabeth?"

"Well, there's plenty of time, Julie. Remember, I said Jack and I aren't getting married until next summer."

"But…" Julie stuck out her lower lip in a pout.

Elizabeth sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, all right. When you get the chance, Clara. I know you have work to do."

"Let me just serve these customers and I'll run upstairs to get them."

After pouring the other two customers' coffee and giving them a small plate of biscuits, Clara quickly ran upstairs and came back down with a folder that had three pieces of lace sticking out of the side.

"Here you go," Clara set the folder on the table between the three women. I pinned each piece of lace to a corresponding design. I hope you like them." She walked away then, back to the kitchen to clean the carrots that Abigail had set out to prepare for that night's dinner.

Reaching over to take the folder, Grace opened it.

"Oh," she tried her best to hide the disappointment on her face, "These gowns are so…so…"

Elizabeth took the portfolio from her mother and looked at the first design. It was of a simple white cotton dress with white lace sleeves and trim on the hemline, and a pink sash around the waist.

"It's lovely," Elizabeth finished the sentence as she fingered the delicate lace pinned to the design. It had floral accents to it and while simple, it was quite beautiful.

"Well, I suppose so," Grace replied, looking over her shoulder to make sure Clara was out of earshot before reaching across the table and carefully turning the page to reveal another gown. This one was sleeveless with a lace-covered bodice and matching jacket, "But Elizabeth dear, there are so many beautiful dresses in the boutiques in Hamilton. There are gowns from Paris and London, with beading, satin buttons and ribbon. Perhaps you can come home to visit for a bit, and we can go shopping together. I know quite a few of your friends are anxious to see you since they learned of your engagement."

"Thank you for the offer, mother, but Clara is so looking forward to making my dress. She's never made a wedding dress before and is beyond excited about it. I'd hate to disappoint her," Elizabeth took a sip of tea, "Besides, Jack and I don't want anything fancy for our wedding. He just spent most of his savings on a plot of land and has already started building a house for us."

"I insist, dear," Grace laid a hand on her daughter's, "I'll even pay for it. I miss spending time with you, with both of you, in Hamilton."

"Mother, I…" Elizabeth was about to object when she heard a light rumble up the street – the stagecoach.

Julie's eyes widened with joy. She quickly stood, her stomach bumping the table and spilling tea onto the portfolio.

"Oh no!" Elizabeth picked up the folder and began to dab furiously at the drawings and lace that the tea had begun to stain.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Julie turned and handed her own napkin to her sister as she looked out the window to see the stagecoach roll past. Abandoning her mother and sister, she quickly walked towards the door, forgetting her coat. As she reached for the door, it flew open and Jack stepped inside, his red serge jacket and hat covered with a dusting of snow.

"Jack!" Julie exclaimed, "The stagecoach! It's here! Did you see if…" she trailed off as she looked at him for any hint that he might know who was on it. He was a Mountie after all. Mounties just knew these things, right?

"I just came from the jail. I thought I'd come to get you ladies and we can go meet the stage together," Jack nodded at Elizabeth and her mother.

"Let me get my coat," Elizabeth said, "I'll get yours too, mother. Julie! You'll freeze out there!" she called out after her younger sister who had already pushed past Jack to go outside and meet her husband.

"I'll get her," Jack smiled, taking the coat from his fiancé, "I kind of want to see my brother too. We have a _lot_ to catch up on." He rolled his eyes and gave a chuckle as he turned to head back outside.

Buttoning their coats, Elizabeth set the portfolio on the table and walked outside. The snow was falling more steadily now, and while the roads were not covered yet, Elizabeth knew that at this rate, it wouldn't be too long before they were. Elizabeth put an arm around her sister as they stepped onto the stagecoach platform. It had just stopped and the doors were opening to let the travelers out. First came an elderly woman, who the driver helped out of the stage and gave a small carpetbag to before she hobbled down the street.

"Tom!" Julie exclaimed as the next person exited the coach. He bounded down onto the platform, spun to see his wife and gave a wry smile before he reached out, enveloping her in a warm embrace. Julie showered him in kisses then pulled back to look at his face before wrapping her arms around him once more. Tom looked over her shoulder at Jack and Elizabeth, a worried expression on his face.

Jack frowned slightly. She could tell by the look in Tom's eyes as he looked over his wife's shoulder that something was troubling him. He knew that look. Tom looked that way whenever he was about to give bad news.

"Tom?" Jack inquired, "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah," Tom stepped back from Julie and removed his hat; shaking off some snowflakes that had begun to settle on it, "Let's just say it was an interesting ride here from Cape Fullerton."

"Really? What do you m –"Elizabeth's words were cut short when she saw another man exit the stage. Tall with gray hair, he glanced about his surroundings with a condescending air about him. So this was the infamous Hope Valley. Not much to it. His gaze settled then on Elizabeth, Julie and Grace, who were all standing on the platform with stunned looks on their faces. They must not have received the letter he had sent. No matter. He was here now.

"I see there have been some changes to the family," Mr. Thatcher announced, his gaze flickering from Tom and Julie to Elizabeth and Jack, before settling back on his youngest daughter and her rounded belly.

"I… I thought you had business to attend to back home," Elizabeth stammered.

"Charles can take care of things for a short while. I need to be here for my daughters. There seems to be a lot to discuss."

Tom glanced at Jack then, his expression showing the pain and scrutiny he had endured for the past several hours. This would not be an easy week ahead.

Julie's face went white at the sight of her father, and then her shoulders stiffened as she remembered the conversation she'd had with him before she left. Julie reached out and clung to her husband even more tightly, to show her father that she wasn't going anywhere.

"William," Grace stepped forward and greeted her husband with a kiss on his cheek, "please, come inside and have some tea. We were just discussing some of the details of Elizabeth's wedding to Jack."

Mr. Thatcher shot a disapproving glance in the direction of the Mountie before him. "It is rather early to be planning a wedding, don't you think? They just got engaged, after all."

"I couldn't agree more," a woman's voice sounded from the door of the stage as a tall woman alighted from inside, dressed in a gown of dark green silk. Taking the hand of the driver, she stepped down and missed the platform, her white boot landing in a puddle, making her shriek at the cold enveloping her foot.

Elizabeth and Julie both looked at each other, started laughing and then looked at Viola and said, "Welcome to Hope Valley!"


	9. Chapter 9 - Love and War

Across the street from the stagecoach, Abigail Stanton stood patiently at the door of Dottie Ramsey's house, waiting for the woman to return with the quilt she had agreed to donate to the settlers. What could be taking that woman so long?

Soon, the door opened, a warm glow emanating from within as Dottie held out a large multicolored log cabin quilt, carefully folded and tied with a piece of ribbon.

"Oh, Dottie, it's beautiful," Abigail exclaimed as Dottie gingerly placed the quilt on top of the large stack in her arms. "Thank you for your generosity. The folks in the settlement sure will appreciate it."

"Please, do be careful with it," Dottie withdrew her hand back into the crocheted dove gray shawl that she had wrapped around her slender shoulders. Cringing as Abigail teetered under her awkward load, she reached out to steady her friend. Dottie's brows arched upward as she caught a glance of the scene before her.

Across the street, a large group had gathered by the stagecoach having what appeared to be a rather animated discussion. Two of the passengers were dressed quite finely for a small town such as Hope Valley; they must have been from Hamilton. Next to Mrs. Thatcher stood a silver-haired gentleman in a sharp grey suit and tie. The younger woman with him wore a long gown of dark green silk, now streaked with muddy water on the hem. Her hair was pulled up in a braid under an ornate hat with feathers and flowers in shades of orange and peach. The last time she had seen someone arrive in Hope Valley in such finery was when Elizabeth Thatcher had arrived almost three years ago.

Dottie turned her attention back to Abigail then, reaching out and taking several blankets off the top of the stack that she struggled with. What better excuse to see what was going on by the café, than to accompany the owner on her errand?

"Why, thank you, Dottie," Abigail sighed in relief as the woman eased her load. "I just need to take these to the livery to give to Frank."

Abigail turned, snowflakes blowing past her face and settling on her eyelashes. She smiled when she saw what Dottie had been distracted by. Not only had Tom been one of the passengers on the stagecoach, but he had been joined by Mr. Thatcher and Viola. Abigail's brow furrowed in worry and she adjusted the pile of assorted blankets and quilts in her arms before walking across the street with Dottie close behind. Now she knew why Mrs. Ramsey had wanted to help her; the incurable gossip was no doubt immensely curious about the newcomers. She shook her head as she beheld Viola, dressed to the nines and sitting on a bench while she unlaced one of her white leather boots. Life in Hope Valley was about to get a lot more interesting.

"Welcome to Hope Valley, Mr. Thatcher, Viola," Abigail walked up and greeted them, then turned to young man with startling blue eyes standing next to Julie, "I assume you are Tom Thornton. I'm Abigail Stanton; a friend of Jack, Elizabeth and Julie."

"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Tom extended his hand. "Julie has told me so many wonderful things about you. I do believe it was your cooking that lured her back to Hope Valley. Her skills in the kitchen have improved somewhat since we were married, but she often compares herself to you. I have to admit, I can't wait to try some of it myself."

Abigail blushed at Tom's compliment. "You're too kind. And there will be none of this ma'am business. Please, call me Abigail," she shifted the pile of blankets in her arms as she reached out to shake his hand.

Florence cleared her throat and Abigail rolled her eyes as she turned to the woman standing behind her. "My apologies. Please let me introduce my friend, Mrs. Dottie Ramsey. Dottie, this is Mr. William Thatcher and his daughter Viola, and this is Tom Thornton, Jack's brother."

Dottie's eyes grew wide at the mention of William Thatcher. The famous shipping tycoon, here in Hope Valley?

"A pleasure to meet you all," Dottie beamed as she eagerly reached out her hand. "Welcome to Hope Valley. I do hope you will enjoy your time here. Will you be staying long?"

"Well," Mr. Thatcher looked at his wife and youngest daughter in turn. "I was hoping to take the stagecoach back to Cape Fullerton with my wife and daughters, but it seems that the weather has delayed such a journey."

"Well, if you need a place to stay, I do have an extra room in my home. It's not as elegant as the hotels in Hamilton, but it is certainly better than the saloon." Dottie offered.

"That would be much appreciated, Mrs. Ramsey," William nodded.

"If you'll excuse me," Abigail interrupted, smiling at the eagerness of her friend. "Dottie and I still need to bring these blankets over to the livery. Frank Hogan, our pastor, is taking some supplies to the settlement. The settlers just moved two months ago and we want to make sure they are ready for the snow that's coming."

"Coming? It seems to me that the snow has already arrived," Viola grumbled from where she was sitting on the stagecoach platform, squeezing the icy water from her stocking and rubbing her foot to warm it. She looked down the deserted street and then settled her gaze on Elizabeth. "I don't see what you find so charming about this place, Elizabeth. It's a ghost town."

"That's because everyone is inside, keeping warm," Elizabeth countered, trying to soften the sharpness in her voice. "Why don't you come into the café to warm up? You can have one of Abigail's famous biscuits and some hot tea."

"I suppose that does sound nice," Viola shrugged of her shoulders as she stood and made her way to the café next door.

"Please, allow me," Jack reached out to help his future sister-in-law, who was currently limping in one boot while she held the other by its laces in her gloved hand.

"I'm fine," Viola snapped, squaring her shoulders in defiance as she continued to limp towards the café.

Jack shrugged his shoulders, casting a furtive glance at his fiancé. This wasn't going to be easy.

Elizabeth looked at Abigail then; a pained, pleading look in her blue eyes. Her dear friend stepped closer.

"Elizabeth, Jack, would you mind helping me with these blankets? Dottie has graciously offered to help, but I'm sure she wants to go back home, warm up, and prepare for her guests."

Elizabeth nodded, taking a few blankets out of Dottie's arms while Jack did the same. Their fingers brushed each other briefly, a small charge of static electricity sparking between them. Elizabeth blushed as she glanced at Jack through a sweep of lashes, and then linked her arm through his.

Tom approached his brother and sister-in-law. "Can I help?"

"We're fine, thanks for offering," Jack nodded with a knowing smile. "Julie, why don't you take Tom over to the saloon and get him settled over there?"

"What about your house?" Julie turned to her sister. "If Mother goes to stay with Mrs. Ramsey, there will be plenty of room for Tom."

"Yes, Julie, but you're forgetting, Viola needs a place to stay, and you know as well as I do that she is not going to stay at the saloon."

"Oh," Julie huffed in disappointment as she rubbed one of her toes on the ground, her worn leather boot clearing an arc of snowflakes in the dusty road. Then her eyes suddenly brightened. "Oh! Tom and I can stay in the room where Mother was sleeping. Viola can stay with you."

"Julie, you certainly don't expect me to host you, Tom, and Viola. It has been crowded enough this past week with just the three of us."

"But he's my husband!"

"Well, then, you can always stay at the saloon with him," Charlotte's approached behind them.

Tom spun around and grinned. "Ma!"

"Don't you 'Ma' me," Charlotte replied, wagging her finger in his face. "I have a bone to pick with you over what you and Julie did. She told us everything; or at least everything from her point of view. I'm interested though, to hear your side of the story."

Tom rubbed the back of his neck, flashing a boyish grin in her direction. "How about we catch up over dinner tonight?"

"Sounds good," Jack chuckled. "Why don't you go to the saloon and get settled and I'll be there in a little while. We can start catching up over a beer or two."

"Oh, don't be over too quickly," Julie took Tom's hand and winked at her sister. She turned to her husband, smiling through lashes dusted with snowflakes, "Tom and I have some catching up to do too."

Elizabeth's face bloomed crimson, and Jack grinned. Her blue eyes grew wide as she gave him a nudge. "Come on, Jack, Frank is waiting."

Once at the livery, they met up with Abigail and gave their blankets to Frank, who piled them in the back of the wagon with bundles of firewood and lanterns, all carefully covered with a black plastic tarp to keep them dry. Then, straightening his Stetson and snapping the reins to urge the horses onward, he set off through the snow for the settlement while Abigail went back to the café.

"We should probably head over to the café," Elizabeth reluctantly looked down and brushed snow off her blue coat while she leaned back against the rough wooden wall of one of the stalls. Why did she have to go back to her family, to the icy stare of her older sister? She wished she could stay here and ignore the drama that awaited her back at the café.

"We don't have to go over there quite yet," Jack stepped close to Elizabeth, bracing his right hand on the wall over her head. "We can stay right here for a little bit longer."

She grinned as he leaned towards her, a sparkle in his blue-green eyes. How blessed, to call this handsome man her fiancé. To feel his love for her in a simple glance!

A shiver coursed through her as a gust of wind blew through the open doorway of the livery, rippling her lavender skirt around her brown leather boots and pulling an errant chestnut curl across her forehead. She'd stay with him forever if she could. "I think I'd like that."

She reached up and brushed some snow off of his brown buckskin jacket. The tiny flakes fluttered to the ground and landed on their boots. Resting her hand on his roughened cheek, she exhaled, a puff of frozen breath lingering between them. "You do have a certain knack for keeping me warm." The first hint of a beard prickled her fingers through her thin gloves, bringing a smile to her lips.

Jack grinned, flashing his dimples. She felt the gentle touch of his hand as he brushed a wisp of hair from her forehead, bringing it to rest on the side of her head. Slowly he began to spread his fingers through her chestnut curls, sending a shiver up her spine as the palm of his hand lingered at the nape of her neck. She could smell the faint aroma of sawdust as he leaned closer, their lips meeting in a spark of electricity. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him as she released herself into his tender embrace.

It had been far too long since they had shared a kiss; their time together had been limited since Julie and Mrs. Thatcher's arrival in Hope Valley. The few rare moments that they had seen each other in the past two weeks had been stifled by the need for propriety in the presence of her mother, or cut short when Jack had been called away on Mountie business.

However; now, in this drafty stable, the soft pressure of Jack's lips on her own as he held her close made everything fade away. The gently falling snow, the bitter wind and the icy stares of her father and Viola all melted in the heat of this passionate embrace as Jack pulled her body closer. She sighed, reaching up and running her slender fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. Goodness, she hoped that he wouldn't cut his hair like his mother wanted him to; the soft curls at the nape of his neck were like silk, and she twirled her fingers around them as one of his hands tangled in the curls that cascaded down her back. A moan issued from deep in his throat as he reached his free arm around her slender waist and pulled her closer still, his hat falling from his head and landing on the dusty ground next to them. She felt herself falling, everything around her slipping away. All she could feel was his body close to hers, enveloping her in this moment of passion before the world around them could dare to pull them back into its harsh focus again.

After what seemed like an eternity but was only a few minutes, Jack pulled his head back slightly. His lips parted with hers for a moment as he exhaled, and then kissed her quickly once more. He straightened his frame and brushed a hand against her cheek, sending shivers up Elizabeth's spine as she struggled to regain her composure.

Slowly she opened her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering apart. She secretly hoped that the world around them would be different and that the bitter cold would have melted away into springtime. Alas, it was not to be. Icy crystals blew past the door of the livery as the wind whistled through the cracks in the walls. Releasing the breath she didn't realize she was holding, she leaned forward and rested her head against Jack's strong shoulder. Her palm rested on his chest where she could faintly feel the beat of his racing heart through his buckskin coat. Why did her father have to come to Hope Valley and make everything so… complicated?

Jack placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face. He met her gaze, his grin fading as he reached up and traced the delicate lines in her furrowed brow. "So much tension in those beautiful eyes. You don't need to carry all that worry inside you." He dropped his hand to her shoulder and gently kneaded her aching muscles. "I want more than anything to wash it all away."

Elizabeth exhaled, a frozen puff of breath escaping her lips as her shoulders relaxed under his caring touch.

"It will be all right, Elizabeth," he kissed her forehead, "Remember what I told you in the mine a year ago. Whatever life throws at us, we can get through it."

"We _can_ get through it," she grinned confidently. "We can get through anything, as long as we're together."

"That's my girl," Jack kissed her lips once more before stepping back and reaching out his hand.

Elizabeth smoothed her mussed curls back into place and placed her hand in his, relishing the warmth of his touch as he cradled her fingers gently in his own. Jack ran his thumb across the back of her hand, feeling the bump of the ruby ring on her finger. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, and they both took tentative steps towards the livery door and the café beyond it, towards the family that was waiting for them.

* * *

Inside the café, William and Grace Thatcher and Viola sat at the table where Grace had been sitting moments earlier with her two younger daughters. The tea-stained portfolio had been pushed onto the floor by Viola, who, upon looking at the designs, had wrinkled her sloped nose and rolled her eyes in disgust. Not only was she furious that her own sister would refuse a marriage proposal from Charles, but that Elizabeth had stayed in Hope Valley a month ago instead of coming to her wedding to Sir Lionel. Elizabeth had instead dared to send a small package containing a wedding gift and a note of apology. Jack had been in a horrible accident and was still recovering from pneumonia. So the Mountie had almost died. What did that matter? She still had Charles. He had been quite angry and heartbroken upon his return to Hamilton, and understandably so. However; Viola knew that he would have happily swooped in to pick up the pieces of Elizabeth's poor broken heart and taken her away from this God-forsaken wasteland if her precious Mountie had perished.

Taking a sip of chamomile tea, she looked at the clock on the wall. It had been nearly fifteen minutes since Elizabeth and Jack had gone to the livery to help Abigail. What could possibly be taking them so long? Just as her impatience began to reach its boiling point, the door to the café opened and in walked Elizabeth with her Mountie. Viola's gaze dropped to their hands, where she could see a small, ruby ring. So this was her engagement ring? It wasn't much to look at. Certainly not as beautiful as the one that Charles had proposed with. Viola had helped him pick it out herself, knowing that Elizabeth would love it. But this; this tiny flash of red was more of a trinket than anything.

"Mother, Father, Viola," Elizabeth greeted them cautiously as Jack pulled the door closed behind them. A gust of wind blew into the café and ruffled the tablecloths, causing the few patrons to shiver as they gripped their teacups in chilled hands.

"Hello, dear. Hello Jack," Grace Thatcher rose from her seat. She made her way to the door where she embraced Elizabeth and her fiancé. Viola looked at her mother, an incredulous look in her green eyes.

"Come, sit with us," Grace gestured to the table. "Your father and Viola were just telling me about their journey here to Hope Valley from Cape Fullerton."

This was ridiculous. How could her mother possibly act this way towards them, after what they had done? It was as if she had already welcomed the Mountie into their family. Viola rolled her eyes and looked away from them in defiance.

"Viola!" Grace chastised her eldest daughter, "that is no way for you to act around your sister and her fiancé."

Viola sat in silence, watching the snow fall outside, the jagged peaks of the mountains fading in the distance as the snowfall intensified.

"My goodness," Grace sighed in exasperation. "William, can you talk some sense into our daughter? This is embarrassing."

"Viola," William Thatcher's low voice snapped Viola from her trance and she turned to face her father, avoiding the others at the table. "Please, apologize to your sister."

"Sorry," Viola mumbled, her mouth forming a sarcastic smirk as she took a sip of her tea before turning her gaze to the window again.

"I'm so sorry, dear," Grace put a comforting hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "I don't know what has gotten into her."

William set his cup down on the table. "Perhaps we can all have dinner here tonight, your mother and I, you, Julie and Viola. Clear the air and come to a positive understanding of the future of our family."

"Yes, that would be lovely," Grace nodded, hopeful of a similar response from her eldest daughter. Instead, the woman offered no reaction except to shrug her shoulders in indifference.

"Well, Elizabeth," her brow furrowed in worry when she saw the increasing snowfall through the window. "Perhaps we should go back to your house and get some of my things before this storm worsens, to take them to Mrs. Ramsey's house. Viola can stay in the spare bedroom. Won't it be nice, Viola, to be with your sisters again?"

Viola answered with a non-committal shrug as she rose from her seat and placed her napkin on her chair. It slipped to the floor and landed on the portfolio, which now had a damp footprint on the cover

Her fingers pressed against her lips, Elizabeth gasped as she bent to pick up the portfolio. She dabbed it gently with the napkin, tears pooling in her eyes as she attempted to save it. Turning, she frowned at her sister who was now lacing her boot over her now dry stocking.

"Viola," Elizabeth's voice quivered in despair as she carefully flipped the pages of the portfolio. Clara's beautiful sketches that she had worked so hard on were now blurred beyond recognition. Even the samples of lace that she had matched them to were now smudged with ink. How could Viola be so heartless? She hadn't even gotten the chance to see the final design, and now everything was ruined.

"You don't need those," Viola stood and adjusted her hat as she squared her shoulders. "Once you realize what a foolish idea this has been, you'll come back to Hamilton with us and forget all about Hole Valley."

Jack looked at Viola, his eyes showing fury at the way she had just spoken to his future wife. Keeping his emotions in check, he took a deep breath and gave Elizabeth's hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

"Viola Rose, that was uncalled for," William spoke to his daughter in even tones as he gingerly took the portfolio from his daughter's shaking hands. "You may not agree with your sister's choices, but you should at least be kind to her."

"Why should I?" Viola raised her voice as Julie walked in the door behind her, brushing snow off of her disheveled copper curls and absentmindedly hanging her shawl on the coat rack. "Why should I be kind to either Elizabeth or Julie? They've only disgraced our family. Elizabeth with her Mountie, and Julie with that illegitimate child of hers."

Julie gasped, her eyes wide as saucers as her rosy complexion paled in shock. Viola shrugged her shoulders, rolling her eyes. "Well, it's true, isn't it? You only got married because you were pregnant with Tom's child."

"You're… you're wrong," Julie's voice trembled. "Tom and I were married for two months before I found out I was pregnant."

"You expect me to believe that?" Viola shouted, drawing the attention of Abigail and Clara as they prepared dinner in the kitchen. "We all know how irresponsible you are. Father told me himself on the train that he thinks you could benefit from some time with the Sisters of St. Joseph after the baby is born. He already sent a letter to them."

Julie's mouth formed an "o" of shock, trying to meet her father's gaze through a veil of tears. "Is this true?"

William stood, calmly walking towards his youngest daughter. "I only want what's best for you, dear," he reached out to her, but Julie stepped back, her face red as she looked at her father and her sister, tears streaming from her blue-green eyes. Grace stood silently, pondering the recent turn of events.

"Mother?" Julie choked back her tears, "Did you know about this?"

"Well, yes, your father and I discussed it, shortly after you ran away, but I would never do that now. I'd never take you away from your baby."

"What do you mean, you discussed it?" Elizabeth released Jack's hand and rushed to her sister's side. "Were you planning to send me there too after you found out about my engagement to Jack?"

"Of course not," William objected.

"But you wanted to send Julie there!"

For a moment, no one spoke. Tears continued to stream down Julie's face as she looked at her family around her.

"Tom… I need to find Tom," she wiped her eyes, turning towards the door.

Suddenly, she stopped midstep and spun around to face her mother. "I forgot. He offered to go to the row house, to get a few of your things, so you wouldn't have to go out in the snow."

Jack gently placed a hand on the trembling shoulder of his sister-in-law. "I can go get him."

"No," Julie shook his hand off and turned to open the door. "I'll find him. And after this storm clears, we are both leaving Hope Valley on the next stagecoach and going back to Fort McClain."

Without another word, she stepped outside, where the sky had turned into a dark, angry shade of grey as the wind howled, blowing the snow in drifts across the street. William and Grace Thatcher, Jack Thornton, and the rest of the patrons of the café all looked on in stunned silence at the door as it slammed shut behind her.


	10. Chapter 10 - The Storm

Chapter 10

Tears spilled down Elizabeth's cheeks, cool against the warm flush of anger that had filled them moments before. She couldn't even look at her parents and older sister right now, not after what they had said. Not after what they had done. How could Viola be so hateful? Elizabeth had never been very close to her, but they were sisters. That had to stand for something.

Stealing a quick glance at Viola through tear-filled eyelashes, Elizabeth was shocked that Viola was showing no signs of remorse. The woman sat at the table, smoothing the folds of her dark green dress as the snow blew past the window. Elizabeth wanted nothing more than to walk up and slap the smug expression off of her face, but she knew that wouldn't solve anything. If they were to be estranged, then so be it. She still had another sister – Julie.

Poor sweet Julie. She didn't deserve any of this. Elizabeth knew how much her father valued good standing in society. Being an upstanding businessman, he undoubtedly viewed his family as an extension of himself. However, threatening to send Julie to a convent away from her husband and child - it was simply unforgivable.

Blinking her tears away, Elizabeth turned to Jack and sank into the warmth of his embrace. She knew that he had hoped for a close relationship with her family. When Mother had arrived and they had grown closer through the shared story of her past, it gave Elizabeth hope. Now she wasn't sure.

Elizabeth leaned into Jack, her tears staining his coat. Resting her hand on the soft buckskin, she inhaled the scent of saddle soap, hay, and ash. The smell was so comforting, so soothing that she almost forgot about Julie.

It echoed in her mind - the door slamming shut as a flash of mauve cotton shirts and auburn curls vanished behind it. But she was missing something. Pulling away from Jack's embrace, she reached for the coat rack and gasped.

Julie's white knit shawl still hung next to the door. Julie would freeze out there!

Jack reached out to touch her cheek, turning her face towards his. "Do you want me to go after Julie? The snow is starting to come down pretty hard out there, and I don't want her to get lost."

"No." Elizabeth sniffled and brushed her tears away as she slipped her arms through the sleeves of her coat. "Thank you, but I can do this. You need to stay here, in case anyone in town needs help."

"Beth," Grace reached out to place a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Don't be angry. The convent was merely a thought of your father's and mine. We were terribly upset when Julie ran away a year ago. Our hope in sending her there was to give her a safe place to sort out her feelings before she did something she would regret. Please believe me when I say that I would never follow through with those plans now."

Elizabeth faced her mother, a tender smile on her lips. "I know."

Grace removed her blue woolen cap, handing it to Elizabeth. "Take this to Julie. She'll need it."

"I will." Elizabeth tightly buttoned her coat and slipped the matching gloves on her hands. She hugged her mother and glanced at her father and older sister before stepping towards the door.

"I won't be long." she kissed Jack on his cheek, holding the shawl and hat close to her chest, and then opened the door.

* * *

Elizabeth pushed forward through the blinding flakes that whipped around her. She could barely see where she was going and hoped that her sister wasn't too far away. Julie couldn't have made too much progress. Traces of her footprints were still visible in the snow.

"Julie!" she cupped her hands around her mouth. A short distance off the main path, her sister's scarlet tresses blew in the fierce wind. What was she doing? She'd get her self lost if she kept walking in that direction!

Elizabeth ran through the thick evergreen forest. Her skirt rustled in the wind and the building snow brushed against her ankles, icy fingers enveloping her toes through thin leather boots.

"Julie!"

Julie turned. "Elizabeth," she blinked against the wind. "What are you doing out here?"

"You forgot your shawl." Elizabeth closed the distance between them, shuddering as a gust of wind blew snow into her eyes. She wrapped the delicate knit shawl around Julie's quivering shoulders and placed the hat on her snow-covered head.

"Thank you." Julie wrapped the ends of the shawl around her fingers. "Father and Viola aren't coming, are they?"

"No." Elizabeth pulled her sister close. "They stayed back at the café with Mother. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"How can I possibly be alright?" Julie threw her hands up in the air and then clutched at her shawl when a gust of wind almost blew it away. "You heard what Father and Viola said. They want to send me off to a convent and take my baby away from me." Tears pooled in her eyes and she fell back into her sister's arms.

Elizabeth stroked Julie's hair, shivering as the snow collected around her ankles. She was losing the feeling in her feet. She tried wiggling her toes, but the movement was only met with pain – the first sign of frostbite.

"Julie." Elizabeth stepped back. "We need to get to my house before…" Her heart raced as she looked bask the way she came.

Her footprints, they were gone.

"Elizabeth?" Julie's eyes grew wide. "You don't think we're lost, do you? Why, the path is right here." Turning, she came face to face with a large tree.

She buried her head in her shaking hands. "Oh no."

"It will be alright, Julie." Elizabeth winced as the icy wind stung her face. The wind – it was coming from the north. She knew where to go.

Reaching out, she took Julie's hand and pulled her downwind. "The road is this way. I am certain of it."

After several minutes of walking, they were no closer to finding the road than they had been before. Elizabeth surveyed the landscape for a sign of anything that was familiar, but only saw trees and snow. The wind must have switched somehow, and she winced as the pain in her toes worsened. If she was developing frostbite, what was Julie going through? They both needed to find shelter, and soon.

Lifting a hand to her brow, Elizabeth squinted through the blinding snow. The wind calmed for a moment and in the distance she spotted a small dark cabin.

"This way!" she limped as fast as she could towards the dark shadow aheadof them.

Julie trudged alongside her sister. "Elizabeth, my toes…"

"F-f-frostbite." Elizabeth pushed on, her head bowed against the wind. She wrapped her hand tight around her sister's, her fingers growing numb. Just when her feet began to give way underneath her, her hand brushed against a rough wooden door. Finally! They were here!

Hands shaking, she knocked, and when there was no response, she carefully pushed it open. Inside, the cabin was cold and dark, although warmer than outside. In one corner a small potbelly stove and a pile of firewood beckoned her.

"H-hey, I recognize this place. It's where the Tolliver gang took us two years ago." Julie rubbed her hands together. "Can you start a fire?"

Elizabeth cupped her hands over her mouth and breathed into them. She knelt in a pile of ashes and picked up two pieces of wood. "I can try."

Shoving the logs into the stove, she picked up the matchbox on the floor. Opening it, she found… nothing.

It was empty.

Frantically she searched the floor, the inside of the stove, trying to find a match. Just one match, was that too much to ask for?

Julie raised her brows as she shivered in a chair. She wrapped the thin blanket around her shoulders and watched her sister. "What's wrong?"

"I can't find any matches!" Elizabeth sat on the floor and pressed two fingers to the throbbing vein in her forehead. "This cabin has obviously been abandoned for a while, and the last person here used them all up."

"Well, that wasn't very nice." Julie put her hands on her hips.

"I don't think the last occupant of this cabin was too concerned about being polite." Elizabeth shook her head. How were they going to stay warm without a fire?

Julie offered a weak chuckle while Elizabeth stuck her hands under her arms. "Well, at least it's warmer in here than it is outside, right?"

"Yes, you're right." Elizabeth sat on the edge of a bed on the other side of the cabin and removed her boots. Pulling her left foot to rest on her right knee, she leaned over and began to breathe onto her foot, cupping her hands to focus the warm air. Julie watched her sister in amazement and then attempted the same.

Elizabeth laughed at her sister's futile attempt to lean over her bulging belly. After putting her own shoes back on, she removed Julie's to warm her feet. She winced in pain at first, but then sighed as the feeling returned to her toes.

"Thank you," Julie wiggled her toes as Elizabeth slipped the shoes back on her feet.

"I don't think we can make it back to Hope Valley." Elizabeth shook her head, pulling aside the tattered curtain that hung on the window over the bed. "I know I can't make a fire, but perhaps we can find a way to stay warm enough in here until the storm lets up."

"Or until Jack comes looking for us." Julie shrugged her shoulders.

Elizabeth lay down on the bed and motioned for Julie to lay next to her. "Let's rest for a little while."

Julie eased herself onto the bed. "Ooh, just like when we were little girls and used to have slumber parties, all snuggled up in bed, giggling and whispering with Vi - " she stopped, the corners of her mouth falling at the memory of her sister's harsh words.

"Shhh," Elizabeth wrapped the blanket around them, her hands resting on Julie's expanded belly.

The baby.

She couldn't let her sister and the precious life she carried freeze out here with only a shawl and a threadbare cotton blanket while they waited for the storm to end. Without hesitation, Elizabeth began to unbutton her warm wool coat.

"Here." She removed it. "You need this more than I do."

"But you'll freeze!" Julie sat up and pushed the coat back into her sister's hands.

"I insist." She pulled herself up and wrapped the coat around Julie's shoulders, fastening the top button. "Besides, I can use the blanket and lie next to you on the bed. We can keep each other warm while we wait for the storm to pass."

Julie nodded, pushing her arms through the sleeves. "Thank you, so much, for everything. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Elizabeth embraced Julie and could feel the baby stir as her sister's belly pressed against her own. "You're welcome. Now, let's try to get some rest while we wait."

Julie nodded and they both reclined, holding each other in an attempt to preserve what little warmth their bodies possessed.

Elizabeth watched as Julie drifted off into a peaceful slumber. It was hard for her to believe that this was still the same little sister who had begged her to stay awake every night to keep an eye out for monsters.

Outside, the wind continued to howl, the walls of the old cabin creaking and moaning against the barrage that attacked them. Elizabeth shivered and huddled closer to her sister. She listened for the sound of hooves or Jack's voice and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. He had to realize soon that she and Julie were lost, and then he would ride out to find them. Hopefully…

Fighting the fatigue that gripped her with its icy fingers, she closed her eyes, just for a moment, to rest them. Suddenly she heard the crack of a branch, and her eyelids snapped open. She sat up, expecting a sign of Jack, Tom, or anyone from town.

Nothing.

She settled back down close to her sister, her gloved fingers balled in a fist close to her heart, toes curled tightly in her boots, and knees pulled up to her chest. Reaching for her sister's warm body, she placed a tender kiss on her forehead before her breathing slowed and her eyelids fluttered shut.

* * *

Back at the café, William Thatcher sat at the small table in the quiet cafe while he waited for Elizabeth and Julie to return. Jack stood by the window, holding the curtain aside as the blizzard intensified.

"I never meant to cause any pain. I only want what's best for both of them." Mr. Thatcher swirled the dregs in his teacup.

Grace put a hand on his shoulder. "William, I told them about James."

His grip tightened and he closed his eyes, a vein throbbing near his temple. It had been over twenty years since he had heard that name. He didn't even realize that his wife still thought of the man after all this time. Perhaps it was the experience mirrored in the lives of their daughters that had brought the painful memories back to the surface.

Viola turned away from the window, looking in shock at her parents. "Who's James?"

Grace took a sip of chamomile tea and set it on the table.

William took Grace's hand. "James was a sailor that your mother was engaged to when she was eighteen years old, before our courtship and marriage. She met him while visiting her cousin in Plymouth and he died in a hurricane a few months later."

"I love your father very much, Viola," Grace exhaled, "but he was not my first love. In fact, I still correspond with James's sister on occasion. She and I became close friends after her brother's passing."

Viola opened her mouth to reply, and then closed it when William shook his head. He placed a comforting hand on the small of his wife's back.

"None of us is perfect. We all have our faults. What's important is that we forgive each other." Grace laid her napkin next to the teacup in front of her. "I think it's time that I refrain from my hypocritical behavior and let our daughters chose the men they love."

She stretched out her hand towards Jack and he responded by placing his hand in hers.

"If the Thorntons make them happy, and I know they do, then I believe we should give them our blessing."

"But..." Viola jaw hung slack. Her shoulders sagged and she exhaled. She opened her mouth but didn't get a chance to speak.

A gust of wind blew into the café through the open door and Tom crossed the threshold with Charlotte close behind. He set Grace Thatcher's snow-covered suitcase on the floor and removed his Stetson, a cascade of white flakes tumbling to the worn wooden floor.

"Good afternoon." Charlotte removed her hat and hung it on the coat rack behind her. "You must be Lizzy's father. I can tell. She has your eyes." She extended her hand to William. "I'm Charlotte Thornton, Jack and Tom's mother. I hope you don't mind, I went with Tom to help pack up some of your wife's things before he brought them into town."

"A pleasure to meet you." he stood and shook her hand as the door shut behind them.

Something wasn't right.

"Where are Julie and Elizabeth?"

"I thought they were here with you," Tom looked at his brother and his in-laws.

Jack froze, his eyes wide. After a moment he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "There's only one path to the row houses from town, and if you haven't seen them…"

He knew it meant only one thing.

They were lost.


	11. Chapter 11 - Cold Hands

Jack pressed the snow-covered Stetson to his head, the brim curling against the harsh wind. Hills of snow, some over a foot high, drifted across his path, obliterating the recent footfalls. How was he going to find Elizabeth and Julie?

"Jack! Jack!" Tom's cries echoed as through a tunnel.

Jack jumped when his brother nudged him.

Shrugging off Tom's hand, he kept pushing through the snow. "Go back to town."

"Hey." Tom stepped in his brother's path. Bracing both hands against Jack's shoulders, his pale blue eyes blinked against the blinding snow. "My wife is out there too, in case you forgot. So I'm not leaving."

Jack exhaled. As concerned as he was for the well-being of his fiancé, Tom's situation was far more dire. What if Elizabeth hadn't found Julie yet? Or what if she had and they'd both gotten lost in the middle of the thick forest? In this raging blizzard, neither of them had a chance of survival without some kind of shelter. A few abandoned cabins spotted the area, but in the haze of his panic, he had no idea where to find them.

Jack shook his head, shoulders relaxing under the pressure of Tom's hands. "Alright, you want to help? Go back to the row house, in case Elizabeth or Julie found their way back. I'll keep looking."

"You know, you're never going to find them in this." Tom rubbed his hands together and then pulled them into the sleeves of his worn brown leather coat. "The snow is getting deep, and if you go into that forest to look for them, you'll never be able to find your way back."

Snow swirled around their calves and toward their knees. Jack kicked a path through the snow, but drifted over behind him. Tom was right. How did his brother get so level-headed? So responsible?

Hands on his hips, Jack tilted his head, seeing his brother, really seeing him, for the first time.

Snow collected in Tom's sandy blonde hair, and fine lines etched in his forehead made him look much older than his twenty years. How could this be the same boy - now man - who had gotten both of them thrown out of a pub in Hamilton just over a year ago? Perhaps it was his life experiences during the past year that had spurred the sudden responsibility, or the terrifying possibility of losing both his wife and unborn child.

"Alright, we'll hold off on the search for now." Jack pulled his feet up out of the drift. "But the moment this snow stops, I'm coming back out here, and I'm not stopping until I find both of them."

"Jack?" Tom grasped his brother's forearm. "Elizabeth and Julie, they'll be fine, right?"

"Yeah." He slapped his brother on the back. "They'll be fine. They're Thatchers."

* * *

A warm band of sun streamed through the gap in the curtains and cast a sliver of light on Julie's face. Flinching, she pulled on the thin blanket and turned out of the harsh glare. Couldn't she sleep just a little bit longer?

The curtain rustled in the icy draft whistling through the window, brightening more of the small space. Julie shivered as the memories came back to the front of her mind.

Viola. Father. The blizzard. Elizabeth, with her shawl and a hat. Searching for the road. Finding the cabin.

Bolting up in bed, a loud creak echoed in the tiny space. Behind her, Elizabeth's body lay twisted under the blanket they had shared, her face turned sideways and her back almost touching the bed. A curtain of chestnut curls lay across her face, pooling on the dusty mattress. So peaceful. How could she wake her? She deserved some extra sleep.

Rubbing chilled hands over her belly as the baby stirred, Julie arched her back and stretched her legs as she rose from the bed. Carefully she tiptoed to the door and opened it just a crack.

White. Blinding, overwhelming white. She blinked and rubbed her eyes, giving them time to adjust.

Her breath caught in her throat as she brought a hand to her heart.

Pure, sparkling snow covered the entire forest. It spread in rippled drifts around dusted pine trees, rose and fell in a landscape of its own. She had never seen anything like it.

Julie opened the door further to widen her view, and light fluffy crystals spilled through the doorway. Pushing the door against the deluge, she just managed to shut it before a pile of snow spilled into the cabin.

"Wake up and come see this!" Julie reached across the bed and pulled the curtain aside. "It's beautiful!"

Elizabeth didn't budge.

Shaking her head, Julie sat next to her sister. Silly girl, pretending to be asleep. Well, there was one way to fix that. The bright sun would wake her up wake up for sure.

Grinning, Julie brushed the hair away from her sister's face. Eyes wide, she staggered backwards, tripping on the hem of her dress.

Once pink, Elizabeth's cheeks were as pale as the newly fallen snow, her parted lips an icy shade of bluish-purple.

"Elizabeth?" Julie crawled across the floor and nudged her sister's shoulder.

No response.

"Come on, Elizabeth." Julie's hands trembled and she gripped the side of the bed. "Wake up already and get that makeup off your face."

Pushing herself to her feet, she bit her lip and backed away from the bed. "I mean it." She removed her hat and twisted it in her hands. "Please, Elizabeth, you're scaring me."

Julie blinked hard and dropped to her knees at the bedside. If Elizabeth intended this to be some cruel joke, it sure wasn't funny. Even as kids, Julie had often made it clear to both of her sisters that she didn't like this kind of teasing. Why did they feel the need to continue, even as adults? This had to stop. Stress like this wasn't good for her, or the baby. Didn't Elizabeth know that?

Bracing for a shout of surprise, she swallowed and put an ear to Elizabeth's chest.

Silence.

Her own heart pounding in her ears, Julie covered her face and shook her head. This wasn't possible. Maybe she wasn't listening hard enough, or in the right place.

Elizabeth couldn't be - Julie didn't want to think of the word. Her beloved sister had sacrificed everything by following her into the storm, making sure she stayed warm, even when it meant offering her own coat.

Her coat!

With clumsy fingers Julie removed the warm blue coat and laid it over Elizabeth's body. She then laced her fingers together and bowed her head.

Please breathe. Please, dear Lord, just let her breathe.

Tears poured down Julie's cheeks as she pressed her face into the mattress. "Please, don't die!"

Lifting her face for a moment, she gasped as small frozen puff of air escaped from Elizabeth's parted lips.

Julie exhaled a burst of laughter, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Oh, Elizabeth! You're alive. You're really alive!" She peppered her sister's cold face with kisses.

But she wasn't waking up. She must be getting warmer, and she was breathing, so why wasn't she waking up?

"Elizabeth?" Julie patted her sister's cheeks. "Wake up, please wake up!"

"Elizabeth!"

Clutching her belly, she sank to the floor and screamed.

* * *

Sergeant's dark muscular legs pushed through the light snow as he snaked through the forest. Jack and Tom had already searched three cabins with no luck. Exhausted, Tom went to the row house, in case Elizabeth and Julie were on their way back. But Jack, more determined, rode toward the only place he hadn't checked-the cabin that the Tolliver gang used as their hideout two years ago.

There it stood, at the bottom of a hill in a copse of snow-laden trees. No smoke came from the chimney. Jack tugged the reins, turning Sergeant back toward town.

A scream shattered the silence.

Spurring Sergeant on his flank, he plowed through the fine powder, stopping just short of the cabin door.

"Jack!" Julie opened the door, snow pouring into the cabin as she threw herself into his arms. "Oh Jack, I'm so glad you're here. We got lost, and we found this cabin, but there were no matches, and she gave me her coat to keep me warm, and we fell asleep, and the sun woke me up, and-"

Jack put his hands on her trembling shoulders. "Where's Elizabeth?"

Julie grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. Her eyes glistened with tears. "She's so cold, Jack. She's breathing, but barely. And she won't wake up, Jack. She won't wake up and it's all my fault for running away!"

Her knees buckled underneath her, and she collapsed on the floor in the pile of snow, her body shaking with sobs.

Jack rushed to the side of the bed and dropped to his knees. Elizabeth's body lay motionless, knees bent under her skirt, her lips an icy blue. He'd heard enough stories from Mounties serving farther north to know what it meant.

"Julie." Jack turned and held her shoulders until she stopped crying. "Julie, do you think you can walk back to town from here?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. Everything looks different in the snow. And the drifts are so deep."

"Take Sergeant. You can follow his tracks back to town." He pulled her to her feet and led her outside to where his horse waited. "You can ride a horse, right? I mean, in your condition?"

"I...I think so." Julie brushed the tears off her face. "Maybe if I just take it slow."

Carefully he helped her up into the saddle and handed her the reins. "Tom is at the row house. Go there first and tell him to get Faith or Dr. Burns."

Julie nodded. "Elizabeth...will she be alright? She has to be alright."

"I hope so. I won't know for sure until someone takes a look at her." He stepped back. "Julie? Please don't blame yourself for this. You know she was only trying to protect you."

"I know. I just don't want her to..." Julie blinked hard, then lightly kicked Sergeant in his side and snapped the reins.

Jack reached into his pocket, pulling out a box of matches. Once inside the cabin, he pushed the door shut behind him. To his left, a small stove held two pieces of firewood. Jack struck a match and held it against one of the logs with shaking hands, but the cold, damp firewood wouldn't catch. He needed dry wood, and the only place he could find it was back in town.

But he couldn't go back. He couldn't leave Elizabeth.

Kneeling at her bedside, he removed his gloves and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. Ice cold. This wasn't right. He was supposed to keep her warm. How many times had he made that promise? And now... he didn't want to think of it, but one ugly word kept repeating in his mind.

Jack stroked the soft curls framing her pale cheekbones. "Please don't leave me. So many people need you."

Tears welled in his eyes and he blinked them away. "I need you."

Wiping his face, he sat on the bed next to her. "You know, it's funny, when I first came to Coal Valley, I thought it would be the most boring, mundane posting of my career. That it could never compare to the excitement of Cape Fullerton."

He exhaled. "I sure was wrong, wasn't I?"

Jack traced her icy lips with his thumb, swallowing against the hard lump in his throat. "We've had so many adventures together over the past two years, haven't we? Some were better than others, I will admit that. But each one of them brought us closer. They showed me what a wonderful, loving, strong woman you are. And I know I'm not good with words. That's your specialty, isn't it?"

Suppressing a chuckle, he brushed a wisp of hair from her forehead. "But you need to wake up, alright? You have that story to tell. Our story. We have a life ahead of us. A house to build, children to fill it with." He sniffled and rubbed his nose. "And I promise when you wake up, I won't let a day go by without telling you how much I love you."

Jack knelt and leaned forward, a sweep of dark hair hanging over his forehead. His interlaced fingers pressed into his eyes, pushing back a waterfall of tears.

 _Please Lord, help her pull through. I'll to submit to your will, to whatever you have planned for her, for us. But - I don't know what I'd do without her. I love her so much, and I do believe that we have many adventures ahead of us. Just please God, please let her live._

His face inches away from Elizabeth's, he laid his head on folded arms and closed his eyes, slipping into a deep sleep.

Dreams.

Beautiful, vivid images flooded his mind.

Elizabeth rushing into his arms after her encounter with Spurlock. Rescuing her and Julie from the Tolliver gang. Watching Haley's Comet streak across the evening sky. Riding lessons. Hamilton. The homestead. The mine. Her first home. Camping with the children. Helping the settlers. His mother. The landslide. Waking to her angelic face.

Then the greatest adventure thus far - asking her to be his wife.

The images changed then, blurred by whirling snow. Elizabeth running through the forest. Taking off her coat. Giving it to Julie. Falling asleep as the color drained from her face. Screams.

* * *

The sound of knocking woke him from his fitful slumber. Jack jerked his head up, stars swirling in front of his eyes.

"Come - come in." He stood, rubbing the back of his neck.

The door opened, and Faith entered, followed by Charlotte and Mr. Thatcher.

"Ma, you didn't have to come." Jack stepped aside so Faith could examine Elizabeth.

"Nonsense." She shook her head, reaching into the satchel on her shoulder. "I care about Lizzy too. And I brought some dry firewood, and some old newspaper for kindling."

Taking the firewood and paper, he pushed them into the stove. "Where's Tom?"

"He's back at the row house with Julie. She's been through quite the ordeal." Charlotte fastened the buckle on her satchel and adjusted the strap. "Sorry it took so long, but Faith wanted to check on her first, to make sure the baby was alright. Everything's fine."

"Thank you." Jack lit a match and tossed it into the stove. It took a few minutes, but soon a warm fire blazed and the cabin warmed.

Clearing his throat, Mr. Thatcher stepped forward. "I brought some blankets from Abigail. She sends her love and prayers."

Jack nodded and took them. As heartbroken as he was to see Elizabeth this way, he could only imagine how Mr. Thatcher felt to see his daughter like this.

He placed a hand on his future father-in-law's shoulder. "Faith is one of the best nurses I know. She'll help Elizabeth, I know it."

"He's right." Charlotte exhaled, a thin white stream of frozen air slicing through the space between them. "She set up an infirmary in the schoolhouse and helped twenty injured miners after the landslide. After Elizabeth, she's the best thing that's happened to Hope Valley."

Faith stood then, picking up her bag off the floor. Her shoulders sagged as she slipped the stethoscope inside.

Jack held the quilts tight in his hands. Please let her offer good news.

"Elizabeth has a moderate case of hypothermia." She gripped the handles of her bag. "Her heart is beating, but it's so slow, I can see why Julie would panic."

Hypothermia.

The one word he hadn't wanted to hear, and yet there it was. Jack remembered enough stories from his Mountie training to know how serious hypothermia could be. Like Constable Stead, the worst case on record. Five days in the frozen north with limited resources led to two amputated feet and fingertips with so much nerve damage he couldn't even hold a pencil. After a month in the hospital, they released him. But he carried mental anguish so severe that he took his own life a week later, leaving behind a wife, three daughters and two sons.

That was after five days, though. Elizabeth's exposure to the bitter cold lasted only five hours. Surely her prognosis must be better.

Mr. Thatcher lifted one of his hands. "I can wire Union City. Once the roads are clear, we can take her there for treatment. They must have doctors there that can help her."

Faith reached out and touched his arm. "I'm sorry, but moving her now would do more harm than good."

Mr. Thatcher tilted his head. "But you just -"

"I did carefully roll her onto her back, but that was to help open her airway and put her hands on her sides. However, any more movement at this stage, until her temperature rises, could cause widespread damage."

"Oh, alright." He nodded.

"Anything else? Her hands, how are they? If she can't write…"Jack set the quilts at the foot of the bed, bracing himself against the footboard.

Faith held out Elizabeth's gloves. "I took them off to examine her hands, and they don't look too bad. Her fingertips are blue, so she might have some nerve damage, but I won't know until she wakes up."

"So we just wait?" Jack took the gloves, twisting the white leather in his hands.

"The fire will help, and so will the blankets. It's important though, that you warm her body first, before her hands, face and feet, or she could go into shock. The coat that Julie laid over her is a good start. You can add a blanket in a few hours, and if her breathing becomes more regular, you can cover the rest of her, a little at a time. It might take a day or two, and even then, it might be even longer before she wakes up."

"I'll stay with her." Jack sat at the edge of the bed and picked a piece of straw off her coat. The livery. Was that really just hours ago?

Charlotte put a hand on Jack's shoulder. "I'll go back to town to get more firewood, and something for you to eat." Massaging his tense muscles, she leaned closer. "She'll pull through. I know she will. She's a Thatcher."

He nodded as his mother pulled him into an embrace. Her arms gave him strength, just as they had when his father died years ago. Would Elizabeth suffer the same end? He couldn't bear to think of it. Fate couldn't be that cruel.

She gave him one last squeeze before she pulled away, bringing the harsh reality of the situation back into focus. Nodding to Faith and Mr. Thatcher, she opened the door.

"Before I leave, there is one more thing." Faith reached into her bag and pulled out a small tin cup. "It's important that Elizabeth stays hydrated while she recovers. Start with lukewarm water. You can melt some snow on the stove. Just moisten her lips for now. Don't try to pour any down her throat. She might choke on it."

Jack nodded. Don't move her, warm her but not her hands or feet, give her water but not down her throat. It was dizzying. How could he remember it all?

"If there is anything else I can do, just let me know. I'll keep her in my prayers, and I know a lot of people back in town will be praying for her too." She closed her bag and pulled her coat tight around her.

"It's starting to get dark. Please let me accompany you back to town." Mr. Thatcher held out his arm.

"Thank you, I appreciate that." Faith nodded, following him.

The door closed and Jack slid into the chair. Elizabeth's body lay motionless and the few breaths that escaped her lips were so far apart, he had to remind himself she wasn't dead.

She was alive.

And he wasn't leaving, not until she woke up. She didn't leave his side when he had pneumonia, and he would not leave her side now.

No matter how long it took.


	12. Chapter 12 - Hope

Chapter 12

Moonlight filtered through the curtains and Jack yawned, stretching his arms over his head. He walked over to the stove, pausing when a floorboard creaked under his weight, and added one more log to the fire.

Only seven pieces of wood left. The pile in the corner dwindled with each passing day. How many days had it been? Two? Five? Not that it mattered. But what would he do if the supply ran out in the middle of the night? He couldn't leave and go back to town for more. Not until Elizabeth woke.

Muscles aching, he lowered himself once more at the bedside and took her hand in his own. Her stoic face now showed hints of pink, but her hands - still cold. Those hands worried him the most. What if she had permanent nerve damage to her fingers? How would she write? How would she teach? Jack pushed the thought from his mind. She was stronger than that. She wouldn't let a simple setback derail her dreams. She was a Thatcher. Well, almost a Thornton, actually.

If she woke up.

An owl hooted in the distance and another answered. Shadows danced on the walls of the cabin as he adjusted the blankets, and Jack remembered the night of Rosemary and Lee's wedding. The dark silhouettes on the walls of the church as he and Elizabeth sat, soaking wet on the back pew. Jack had never told her, but the moment she accepted his proposal and stretched out her arms to embrace him, her shadow, rising behind her, resembled that of a bird. A beautiful, graceful swan spreading its wings in flight.

A bird. Feathers. What was it? Something from an Emily Dickinson Poem.

Ah yes, now he remembered.

"'Hope is the thing with feathers.'" He rubbed the back of Elizabeth's hand with his thumb.  
"'That perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all.'"

Rubbing tears away, he forced a grin. "I bet you didn't know I remembered that poem, did you? I actually keep a copy of it in my pocket, to remind me of that day, when I almost lost you to the skunk."

The door creaked behind him, and he turned his head. Frank, Abigail, Lee, Rosemary, Charlotte, Tom and Julie, Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher, even Voila, poured into the cabin, their heads lowered and lips drawn as Frank crossed the room and dipped a candle into the stove.

Jack rubbed his eyes. He was dreaming. Yes, that was it. It was far too late for anyone to be out here.

"Ma, what…"

"You must be exhausted if you didn't hear us knocking." Charlotte smoothed his cowlick.

He stood and rubbed the back of his neck. "But it has to be at least midnight. It's dangerous out here at this hour."

"Shhhh." Abigail touched his shoulder. "It's only nine o'clock. And we were fine. Nothing out here except for owls and rabbits."

"I think the bears must be hibernating already, huh Jack?" Lee gave him a pat on the back.

"I, I hope-" Rosemary turned away and blew her nose into a monogrammed lace handkerchief. For once, his childhood friend was at a loss for words.

Elizabeth's parents filed in behind Julie and Tom, and was that…it was! Wrapped in a blanket in Mr. Thatcher's arms, good ol' Rip.

"We thought you might want some company while you waited." Mr. Thatcher set the dog on the floor, where he stretched and let out a bark. "I hope you don't mind my bringing him. I could hear him howling in the jail from outside."

Shaking his spotted coat, Rip lumbered towards Jack and raised his head.

Jack turned to Abigail as Frank lit her candle. "I...I don't know what to say. This was your doing, I assume."

"Well, the thought did cross my mind, but no, it wasn't my idea." She lit Viola's candle.

"It was hers."

Jack's mouth slacked, and he pivoted towards Viola. A curtain of auburn curls obscured her face as she held a hand around the flame. She turned, lit Julie's, and took her sister's hand.

Wait, how could they be standing next to each other, after everything that happened at the cafe?

And Julie, holding Viola's hand? This had to be a dream.

"Go ahead." Julie nodded. "It's alright."

Viola's chin trembled as she raised her head. Her curls parted to reveal a bright red hand-shaped mark on her left cheek "I'm…I'm so sorry. If I hadn't…"

Jack winced. Whoever slapped Viola must have hit her hard."Viola?" He leaned closer, her voice barely registering in his ears. This couldn't be happening.

A sweep of damp lashes lifted to reveal shining green eyes as Viola brushed a tear from her cheek. "I was just so upset and angry that Elizabeth and Julie didn't come to my wedding to Sir Lionel." She released Julie's hand and stepped towards Jack. "I know it's petty. I realize that now. And I said some horrible things. Unforgivable things. But if you can forgive me, if you think Elizabeth would forgive me…"

Julie nodded, pursing her lips as she passed the light on to Tom and her parents. She had obviously made peace with her older sister. Although Jack had a sneaking suspicion that she'd made the mark on Viola's cheek.

"Of course I can." Jack took her empty hand in his and squeezed it. "And I think Elizabeth will forgive you too…"

He turned back to the bed, but a cool draft startled him,and he spun towards the door. Lee stepped outside, reaching his candle out into the darkness until it met another.

Jack rose to his feet, reached over the bed, pushed the curtain aside and rubbed the frosted windowpane. There, in the snow surrounding the cabin, the entire city of Hope Valley huddled in their coats. Mittened hands grasped candles as puffs of frozen breath escaped their lips. Mothers, children, friends, all gathered to pray for his Elizabeth.

 _Their_ Elizabeth.

Lee stepped back inside, holding the door open just a crack. Candles lit, everyone bowed their heads as Frank stepped forward.

"Dear Lord, we gather here before you to raise our hearts in prayer for one of our own. You are our refuge in times of suffering, an ever-present help in troubling times. As we stand here, hold us in your loving arms. Give us, all of us, the strength we need to surrender to your will." He gave Abigail his candle and opened his Bible. "'For the Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.'"

Silence filled the small space. Jack stroked Rip's back, fighting back the tears that Frank's words brought to his heart.

Frank closed the Book and placed a hand on Elizabeth's forehead, his eyes shut as his lips moved in silent prayer.

After a minute, he opened his eyes and stepped back. "Does anyone here have anything they want to share?"

Rosaleen Sullivan pushed through the gap in the door, a book clutched to her chest. "I'd like to read a poem, if that's alright. Maybe we can all take turns reading it together."

"I think Elizabeth would like that." Frank beckoned for her to come closer, Molly close behind.

After giving her candle to her mother, Rosaleen opened the book to a worn, dog-eared page. She swallowed and began to speak, her clear voice filling the room.

"Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words." Her voice wavered and Jack took the book from her trembling hands. "And never stops, at all."

He passed it to Abigail then, who gave her candles back to Frank.  
"And sweetest in the Gale is heard, and sore must be the storm." She passed it to Viola.

"That could abash the little Bird." Tears streamed down her face and she blinked them away, handing the book to Julie.  
"'That kept so many warm.' Oh, Elizabeth -" She held it out to Tom.  
"I've heard it in the chillest land." He passed it to Lee.

"And on the strangest Sea." Lee showed the book to Rosemary, who lifted her head and blinked back tears, reciting the next line from memory.  
"Yet, never, in Extremity..." Her voice wavered as Lee passed the book with trembling hands to Jack.  
The soft candlelight surrounded him like a halo, giving him hope. Swallowing, he read the last line of the poem. "She asked a crumb -"

His voice broke. He couldn't go on.

Rosaleen wrapped her arms around him. "It's alright, Mountie Jack. She'll wake up. I know she will."

He handed the book to her and swallowed hard. Everyone in the cabin began to extinguish their candles. Pulling coats close to their bodies, they filed out of the cabin into the cold starry night.

Abigail set a basket of biscuits on the chair. Julie leaned over Elizabeth. She placed a tender kiss on her forehead and rushed to Tom's side.

Mr. Thatcher paused in the doorway, the last to leave. Pivoting towards Jack, he placed his hand on the door frame. "I'm sorry for not being kinder to you and your family. I can see now how much you love my daughter."

"More than anything." Jack twisted his body and raised his head.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know, you both have my blessing. When she wakes up, I'd be honored to walk her down the aisle at your wedding, if she'll allow me."

"She will." Jack pulled himself to his feet and reached out his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Thatcher."

"Please." He took Jack's hand. "Call me William."

Smiling, he pulled away and before shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Cold.

Terrible, horrible, all-encompassing cold.

A heavy sensation, her body like lead, everything slowing down. Slower, slower.

Bright, blinding white.

A tunnel.

Voices. No, one voice.

Julie. Crying. Pleading.

Pulling sensations. More heaviness.

A pulse.

Her name.

A scream.

Then warmth.

Warm gentle fingers touching, caressing.

A soft, deep voice.

And yet, she couldn't move. Couldn't open her eyes.

More voices. Male and female. A chill.

Then darkness.

And then, after so much time Elizabeth knew it had to be days, possibly weeks, there was light.

Warm and red against her eyelids, wavering as if alive.

More voices.

"I'm so sorry… will she forgive me?"

"You are our refuge..."

"We can all read together"

"Hope...the thing with feathers"

The voices grew louder, her own pulse beating with them.

"It's alright Mountie Jack, she'll wake up."

"I just wanted to let you know, you have my blessing."

A warm voice, clearer now.

Jack.

"Sorry I couldn't finish the poem. Let me try again, alright?"

A crinkling. Paper? And the unmistakable sound of Rip's snores. Was she back in town?

"I've heard it in the chillest land, and on the strangest sea, yet never in extremity-"

A pause. Why wasn't he finishing the poem?

Elizabeth willed her body to move. Something, anything to let Jack know she was alright.

Then, a release. A quickening. Warmth filling her chest, flowing down her arms and legs.

A shudder, rising from deep within her lungs. A series of coughs shaking her body.

Words, escaping her lips.

"She..she asked a crumb, of me."

Then, light. Warm, welcoming light.

Blue eyes, wet with tears.

Dimples under a dark beard. Jack's soft hands, holding her.

"Elizabeth." The name echoed in her ears.

"H-h-hey." She shivered, curving her lips into a weak smile as Jack captured them with his own.

She was home.


	13. Chapter 13 - A Warm Welcome

Chapter 13

"You're lucky," Faith slipped her stethoscope into her bag, "I've seen cases of hypothermia less severe than yours with far worse outcomes."

"Well, they didn't have an entire town praying for them, did they?" Jack gave Elizabeth's hand a gentle squeeze. The corners of her mouth turned down and he tilted his head. "Elizabeth, what's wrong?"

"I'm worried, Jack, about my hands. I still can't feel anything in my fingertips."

"It's normal, Elizabeth. I wouldn't be too concerned at this point." Faith stood and tucked a blonde curl behind her ear. "The extremities are always the last to recover. The fact that you can feel your toes is reassuring."

"But I had warm socks, and boots on my feet." Elizabeth gestured to her legs. "I only had a thin pair of gloves to cover my hands. If I don't get better…"

"Shhh, it'll be alright." Jack sat next to her and pulled her close. "I have faith that it will. No pun intended, of course." He flashed a grin in the nurse's direction before turning back to Elizabeth. "But if you don't recover, then I'll be your hands. I'll write whatever stories you want me to write. And in the classroom, I'm willing to bet that every single student of yours would be more than willing to help."

Elizabeth pulled her hands under the blanket. While she couldn't feel the thick knit blue-grey afghan against the tips of her fingers, hints of warmth spread through her palms as the rough woolen yarn brushed against her wrists.

As much as Jack's reassuring words calmed her, she still worried. Even with him as her hands, how long would such a partnership last? Certainly, kindness would turn to routine, and routine to resentment. How could Jack have the career of a mountie if he was at home, constantly caring for her?

Faith fastened the clasp on her bag. "I'd like to send Dr. Burns out here to examine you, when he gets back from the conference he attended in Cape Fullerton. It should be soon - the stagecoach is due to arrive today."

"And what shall we do in the meantime?" Jack rose from the bed and walked to the corner to stoke the fire. "Do you think it's safe to bring her home?"

"I wouldn't move her just yet." Faith paused by the door. "Not until Dr. Burns has a chance to look at her."

"Thank you so much, Faith." Elizabeth yawned and slid under the covers.

"It was the least I could do. And I will send Dr. Burns here the moment he arrives. I know you're anxious to get back home."

Elizabeth cast a sleepy glance at Jack. "As long as Jack is here with me, I'm home."

Jack held open the door while she adjusted her bag and pulled her coat tight around her thin frame. "Goodbye Faith. And thanks again."

"Goodbye Jack. Goodbye, Elizabeth. Sweet dreams." The door closed behind her, and a swirl of chilled air whispered through the inside of the cabin, lifting a few snowflakes off the dirty wood plank floor.

"Jack?" Elizabeth fought to keep her eyes open. They were so heavy, but how could she be so tired, when she had just slept for several days?

"Yes, Elizabeth?" Jack knelt at the side of the bed and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.

A cough rattled her chest and she shivered. "I'm still cold. Can you lay next to me? Just for a little while."

"I don't know, Elizabeth." Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "What if someone comes in and sees us?"

"We're engaged to be married, Jack." She shifted her body towards the wall on the far side of the bed. "And I'm not asking you to lay next to me all night. Just for a few minutes. To keep me warm."

"Well, when you put it that way." He raised an eyebrow, slid under the covers next to her, and wrapped his hands around her chilled fingers. "Just let me know if anything hurts. Before you woke up, Faith said I need to be careful not to warm you up too quickly or you could suffer tissue damage."

"Then I suppose a kiss would be out of the question?" Elizabeth slid closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Maybe just on your forehead." He turned his head and his warm lips pressed against her temple, his beard brushing against her skin. The sensation sent a light wave of warmth through her body, everywhere except her fingers. When would they heal?

"Thank you for taking care of me, Jack." Elizabeth felt her eyelids become heavier, every muscle in her body relaxing against Jack's strong frame. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I just did what any man would do for the woman he loves." He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you too, Elizabeth."

Slowly, the world around her faded away as she slipped into a deep, dream filled sleep.

* * *

"Jack. Jack, wake up." His eyes fluttered open as a hand nudged his shoulder. Who had woken him? Hopefully it wasn't Elizabeth's parents, especially William. The last thing he needed was for his future father-in-law to catch him in bed with Elizabeth.

Even if he didn't mean to fall asleep.

Next to Jack, Elizabeth lay sleeping, her cheeks pink and her breathing even. He turned his head, slowly rolling to his side. Tom and Julie stood five feet away from him, grins plastered on their faces.

"Sleep well, big brother?" Tom held out his hand, which Jack grasped and eased himself out of Elizabeth's embrace.

Jack ran a hand through his hair as he stood, then turned back to the bed and pulled the blanket up over Elizabeth. "What time is it?"

"Don't worry, Jack. We just saw Faith in town and decided to come visit. It can't have been more than a few hours. We won't breathe a word of this to anyone." Julie pinched her fingers together and pulled them across her lips. "Although you are engaged."

"That's what she said." Jack glanced over at Elizabeth and added another log to the stove.

"Jack…" Elizabeth rolled over in bed, her voice mumbled. Her lashes fluttered open and eyes opened wide as Tom and Julie waved.

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead." Julie stepped in front of Tom, then sat at the side of the bed. "It's so good to see you awake. I've barely slept at all the past few days, I was so worried."

"Julie!" Elizabeth bolted up in bed, her eyes wide. "Oh, Julie, I'm so glad you're all right. And the baby?"

Julie rubbed her belly. "The baby is fine. Kicking up a storm." She wrapped her arms around her sister. "Thanks to your selfless act. I don't know if he… or she would still be alive if it weren't for you giving me your coat."

Elizabeth leaned into her sister, then pulled back and placed a hand on Julie's swollen belly. "You're right. Kicking up a storm!"

"So, did Jack tell you about Viola?" Tom removed his hat and raked a hand through his hair.

Elizabeth arched one brow. "What about Viola?"

"She apologized." Jack took her hands in his own. "When they were here last night, right before you woke up. I guess she was upset that you didn't come to her wedding and she got a little jealous."

"Viola? Jealous?"

"Yeah, who would have thought it, huh?" Julie stood and arched her back. "But don't think I let her off easy. I was plenty angry with her and we had some words."

"I think it was more than just words, wasn't it, dear?" Tom put his hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Oh, all right. So I slapped her."

"Julie!" Elizabeth's eyes widened.

"She deserved it!" Julie placed her hands on her hips, then pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle a flood of giggles. "Oh, Elizabeth, you should have seen the look on her face."

"I can only imagine."

"She is sorry though. I know she is." Julie pulled a dark green coat around her shoulders. "After the shock wore off, she actually broke into tears. She kept saying over and over how I was right, that it was all her fault. And then she gave me this - her coat. She said I deserved it more than she did."

Elizabeth reached out and brushed the back of her hand against the thick forest green wool sleeve. "I thought your coat looked familiar."

"It's funny, when Viola gave it to me, I tried to give it back, but she insisted. She pulled it over my shoulders and started to fasten the buttons, but once she got to my belly, they wouldn't meet. She struggled, pulled and tugged, and right after she finally fastened a button at the top of my waist, it popped off and hit her, right here." Julie touched the tip of her nose. "We both laughed so hard, just like when we were kids."

"I'm glad you've made up, but what about Father?" Elizabeth folded her hands over her lap.

Jack cast a quick wink in Julie's direction and she smiled. "I think Jack might know the answer to that question."

Jack sat next to Elizabeth and smoothed a strand of hair at her temple. "We had a nice chat. He apologized for his behavior and even said that he'd be honored to give you away at our wedding."

"Oh, that's wonderful news." She wrapped her arms around Jack and pulled him close.

"I think we need to get going, right dear?" Tom put his hat back on and reached for the door. "We just wanted to say hello, and see how you're doing. I'm glad to see you're feeling better, Elizabeth."

"Thanks so much for stopping by." Elizabeth reached out her arms to embrace Julie one last time. "Once I'm back home, I'll have both of you over for dinner."

"No, Elizabeth. We'll have you over for dinner." Julie pursed her lips as she exchanged a quick glance with her husband. "I was going to surprise you after you got home, but well, this is just one secret that I can't keep one moment longer."

"What is it?"

Tom stepped forward. "I talked to Lee Coulter after he got home from his honeymoon, and he said that if he's going to bring a railroad to Hope Valley, he'll need all the help he can get. So he offered me a job. I start next week."

"You mean…"

"We're moving to Hope Valley!"


	14. Chapter 14 - Baby Steps

Chapter 14 - Baby Steps

"Easy now, you've almost got it."

Elizabeth's hand trembled as she inched her thumb and forefinger towards a small piece of chalk. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple as she strained against the tightness in her fingers.

"I… I can't" She pulled her hand away and bowed her head.

Dr. Burns massaged the bridge of his nose. "Yes you can. I know it's difficult, but you are making progress. You couldn't even feel a pinprick in your fingertips two days ago."

"I know." She lowered her hands to rest on Abigail's kitchen table. "But my students, they need a teacher who can hold a book, and write on the chalkboard."

"They understand what you're going through, Miss Thatcher." He reached out and took her hands in his own. "Now, try to squeeze my hand."

Elizabeth exhaled, closed her eyes and tried to curl her fingers around his pale, smooth hand. It was such a stark contrast to Jack's work-roughened hands. Not that she minded - it meant he was working on their house. In fact, yesterday he announced that the windows were installed and the stove was being moved in today.

She opened one eye to peek at her progress and her shoulders fell at the sight of her fingers a full inch from the doctor's hand. At this rate, she'd never get back to her old self again.

"That's much better than last week." Dr. Burns pulled his hand away and jotted some notes on his clipboard. "If you keep up with your exercises, I believe you'll have full mobility in a month or two."

Of course he would say that. But in her mind… she wasn't so sure.

"That's great news!" Footfalls echoed from the staircase and Jack made his way towards her with a thick wool sweater and blanket. Ever since moving her into the cafe a few days ago, he had spent every spare moment at her side, making sure she was comfortable and warm. The growing pile of blankets and sweaters in the corner was proof of that.

"That's what I tried telling her." Dr Burns turned each hand over in his own, examining them before setting each one back on the table. "But she has been playing the part of the doubting Thomas lately."

"Well, I think I can help with that." Jack set the bundle on the table and took a seat next to her, bumping her shoulder with his own. "Any new exercises?"

"Just one." Dr. Burns pulled what appeared to be a lopsided ball out of his bag. "Miss Thatcher, This is a stocking filled with sand. I want you to squeeze it as hard as you can, then release and spread your fingers as wide as you can. Start with five times a day on each hand, and work your way up to ten. Do you think you can do that?"

"I'll try." Elizabeth held out her hand, adjusting to the weight as Dr. Burns dropped the ball onto her palm. It was about the size of a small baseball, but lighter and softer with a knot on one end.

Dr. Burns stood and fastened the clasp on his satchel. "If you have any questions, you know where my office is. I'll see you next week, same time."

"Thank you, Dr. Burns." She turned her hand over and dropped the ball onto the table. "I'm sorry for not being grateful for all of your help. This… setback… has been quite the humbling experience. It's true what they say. You never appreciate what you have until it's taken away from you."

"Truer words were never spoken." Her father pushed aside the curtain and stepped into the kitchen.

Elizabeth stood and embraced him as Dr. Burns stepped past them and into the busy cafe. "I thought you were leaving today to go back to Hamilton with Mother and Viola."

"We are." He stepped back and placed a hand on each shoulder. "But we wanted to come and say goodbye first."

"Oh, it's not goodbye." Mother stepped inside behind him, followed by Viola. "We'll be back in two months."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth turned to face Mother and Father.

"Well." Viola stepped forward, a book tucked under her arm. "I know how anxious you are to start your new life with Jack, so I talked to Julie, and we are going to work together - me from Hamilton of course - to plan a Christmas eve wedding for the two of you."

"I don't know what to say…" Elizabeth bit her lower lip as her sister embraced her. It was going to take some time to get used to her sisters getting along with each other. Who would have thought they would ever work together on anything?

"It's the least I can do, to make up for the way I treated you," Viola stepped back from the embrace. "And you don't need to worry about me going overboard. I promise to keep it simple for you, even if I do want to make this the social event of the century."

Elizabeth laughed. Some things never changed. "So this book, is it what I think it is?"

"Yes." Viola pulled the thick book out from under her arm and opened it on the table. "Julie and I werein the mercantile the other day, about to wire a dress shop in Hamilton to send a book with all of their newest designs, and this lovely woman in a red coat offered to lend us hers. We had a wonderful chat on the way to her house. She is quite a delightful woman. I believe her name is Rosemary?"

Elizabeth nodded, not surprised at all that Viola had become friends with the new Mrs. Coulter. "Yep, that's her. But I really don't need a fancy dress. Mother already offered to let me wear hers, and Clara is going to do the alterations, with some help from Dottie."

"Oh." Viola's shoulders sagged.

"But if it makes you happy, Julie and I can look up a few ideas for bridesmaid dresses. As long as your choice can accommodate her figure."

"Of course." Viola flipped through the book and stopped at a page in the middle. "This one has a fuller skirt. A bit old fashioned, but very accommodating. For both of us." Her cheeks bloomed crimson.

"What do you mean, 'both of us?'" Mother's eyes widened.

"I've been feeling a little out of sorts lately, just in the past few weeks. I saw Nurse Carter yesterday and she confirmed my suspicions. By her calculations, I'll be a mother in June of next year."

"Oh, Viola, that's wonderful news!" Mother pulled Viola into an embrace. "My goodness, now I'm going to have two grandchildren."

"I'm going to have to start getting used to being called Grandpa." Father joined in. "Have you wired Lionel?"

"Not yet. I want to tell him in person, when we get home." Viola raised a finger to her lips. "So not a word from either of you."

"You can trust me." Mother took Viola's hand. "But I'm not sure about your father."

"Grace, you underestimate me."

"Well, thank you for sharing the news." Elizabeth took her turn in embracing her sister. "I wish you could stay longer, but I know you need to get back to the comforts of city life."

"And indoor plumbing!"

Elizabeth laughed. Using an outhouse was second nature to her now, but she knew her sister would never give up her creature comforts. Hamilton would always be home to Viola.

"Well, we should probably be going. The stage will be here soon." Mother took Elizabeth in her arms one last time. "I'll send my dress out as soon as we get home."

"Goodbye, Jack." Father held out his hand to shake that of his soon to be son-in-law. What a difference from the greeting they had received two weeks ago. Sometimes she felt like all of this was a dream, that she was still in a coma in that tiny cabin in the woods.

But it was all real.

"We'll see you in six weeks." Mother, Father and Viola all waved as Jack pulled open the curtain for them.

Elizabeth waved back, a tear forming in the corner of her eye. "I'm looking forward to it."

The curtain swooshed behind them and Elizabeth sank into a kitchen chair, Rosemary's book still spread out before her.

Jack placed a tender kiss on her forehead, then picked up the stocking ball on the table and sat beside her. "So, I believe you have some exercises to do."

Elizabeth exhaled. "Can't I rest for a little bit first? It's been a long day."

"Do you promise to rest, or are you going into the cafe to talk to Abigail about wedding plans?"

"No, I really do need to rest." She stood, then turned towards the stairs and frowned. "But it's such a long way upstairs, and I'm so tired. Do you think you can carry me?"

"I thought I wasn't supposed to do that until our wedding night." He rose from his seat and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I don't mind." Elizabeth tilted her head and touched one finger to a spot on his shoulder. Pine sap glistened as it stretched between her finger and his jacket. "This stuff sure is sticky. Too bad you can't bottle it. It would work great for the turkeys that the children are making next week, for Thanksgiving."

"Oh, I'm sorry." He crossed the kitchen and reached into the sink, then wrung out a washcloth and returned to her side. Gently he picked up her hand and wiped the sap from her fingertip. "That reminds me, I saw some wild turkeys out on the hillside on the edge of my land this morning. A few toms and about two dozen hens, making quite the ruckus. I'm sure they left behind enough feathers for the kids to use."

"Oh, that would be perfect." Elizabeth clapped her hands together. "I was going to order some goose feathers from a millinery in Union City, but being able to use real turkey feathers would be even better. Are you sure it's no trouble?"

"Of course not." Jack stepped forward and cupped his hand on her cheek. "Anything to make your life easier."

"So you'll carry me upstairs?"

"I suppose so." His blue eyes mirrored her love for him as his calloused thumb swept over her cheek. How could she be so lucky to have such a selfless man in her life? And in just six weeks, he would be her husband. The mere thought sent flutters through her chest.

"Just to the top of the stairs. I think I can walk from there." She inched her face closer to his. "Consider it practice."

Jack captured her lips with his own, his clean-shaven face a smooth contrast to the beard he had grown while they were in the cabin. She almost missed the way his whiskers had tickled her chin. But she didn't dwell on it long, as Jack pulled her body closer and intertwined the fingers of his right hand in her left. The scent of fresh pine surrounded her as she melted into his embrace.

As the kiss deepened, a new sensation overtook her. It started in her wrist, and soon a tingling spread through her fingers.

Muscles stretched, strained...

Suddenly, Jack pulled away, then smiled and gestured downward with a nod of his head.

There, perfectly wrapped around his fingers, were her own.

A gasp escaped Elizabeth's lips as she raised their hands and the small ruby ring on the third finger glistened in the lamplight. "Did I just…"

"Yes, you did." Jack grinned, his dimples deepening.

 **"** **I guess I just needed a little motivation." She placed her right hand behind his neck, and pulled him close once more.**


	15. Chapter 15 - Preparations

Chapter 15

"Hey, Jack. Need any help?"

Jack's hammer slipped from his grasp and landed with a crack, inches from his left foot. He reached too late for the bucket next to him, grimacing as a cascade of nails scattered across the pale oak floor. What a mess. Who could be bothering him this early in the morning? He knew people wanted to help, but with so many interruptions - seven yesterday and eight the day before - he'd never finish the house in time.

"I'm sorry." Lee closed the door behind him, then set his toolbox on the floor and shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't mean to startle you."  
Jack relaxed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's all right." He walked to a corner where a broom lay propped against the wall. "There's just so much to do, and I want to finish everything before the wedding. Especially since it's going to be in five weeks instead of five months." He picked up a broom and started sweeping nails into a pile at his feet. "I know Elizabeth's sisters meant well, but I wish they had asked me first."  
"You know, Jack." Lee rubbed his hands together, then picked up a dustpan and stooped down next to him. "I think we both know that Elizabeth doesn't care where she lives, as long as she's with you. And that it's warm."

"I know." Jack swept a pile of nails into the dustpan. "But I promised her I'd have this place ready. I guess I didn't realize how much work would be involved in building it."

"Well, you're the one who wanted four bedrooms." Lee dumped the nails into the bucket, then patted his friend on the back. "Although I think you'll have a while before you need anything more than one."

Jack chuckled and leaned the broom against the corner. Hopefully it wouldn't be too long. He wanted nothing more than to start a family with Elizabeth. Four children, maybe five or six. Daughters with tight chestnut curls and sons with bright eyed grins and dimples, all running down the stairs every morning to share in a breakfast that their parents had prepared together. Then they would all walk around the silver lake, shoes wet with morning dew as they made their way into town.

"So, what can I help with?" Lee opened his toolbox, interrupting Jack's thoughts. "I have a couple of hours before I need to be back at the mill. That brother of yours has been a great asset with the bookkeeping."  
"I know." Jack picked up his hammer. "Who would have thought he'd be so good with numbers?"

"Well, don't tell him I told you." Lee leaned closer. "But I plan to give him a raise. He's been doing so much in the past week, more than I would expect from anyone. And with a baby on the way, he's going to need some extra money."

"Well I'm sure he'll appreciate it." Jack scooped up the pail and handed it to his friend. "I admit, I had my doubts when he arrived here, but he sure has grown up."

"So." Lee took the pail. "You want me to work on the floor?"

Jack nodded. "Maybe if we both work on it together, we can finish before you have to leave. The stove arrives today, so I want the floor to be finished before I move it in."

"Sounds good." Lee set the bucket on a finished section of floor."And if you need any help with the stove or anything else, just let me know. I think I can spare one or two workers this afternoon."

"Thanks." Jack picked up a nail, and tapped it into an oak plank. "I know you're busy, but I appreciate all of your help."

Soon the house filled with the echoes of rhythmic tapping, accentuated by the occasional call of a loon or heron outside. It wasn't long before the rays of the rising sun shone through the picture window overlooking the lake and cast a golden glow on the completed floor. Jack exhaled and leaned against the wall. Not bad. It just needed a bit of sanding in a few areas, and then it would be ready to move furniture in.

"Thanks again." Jack dropped his hammer into the nearly empty bucket and a clang echoed off the bare walls. "I know there's a lot more work to do, but it helps to have downstairs almost done."

"Even if you do have five more rooms upstairs to complete."

"And the stairs." Jack chuckled, nodding towards the large hole in the ceiling. Stairs, four bedrooms, a washroom with a claw-foot tub. All needing floors, windows, paint, and furniture. Maybe Lee was right. Would it be so bad to start his life together with Elizabeth in her rowhouse? Would she mind?

"Well, I have to get back to town. See you for lunch at Abigail's?" Lee closed his toolbox and wiped the dust from his green plaid pants.

"I was hoping to meet Elizabeth at the school for lunch, to talk about the house." Jack walked over to the heavy oak front door and opened it. "Maybe tomorrow? My treat, to thank you for your help."

"It's a deal." Lee followed him out to their horses. "It's going to be a beautiful house when it's done, Jack. Elizabeth is one lucky woman."

Jack untied Sarge, then jumped up and gave a quick tug on the reins. It was a beautiful house. Not anywhere near as grand as the mansion where Elizabeth had grown up in Hamilton, but he knew she would love it, because it would be their home. A place where they would raise children and grow old together.

"No, Lee." He turned Sarge towards town to start his rounds. "I'm the lucky one."

* * *

"What about this one?" Julie pointed at a picture of a deep burgundy satin dress. "If we have Dottie and Clara sew some white fur onto the cuffs, it will be so festive."

"I suppose so." Elizabeth stirred the oatmeal in her bowl. Ever since Mother, Father and Viola had left last week, Julie hadn't stopped talking about the wedding. It had been exciting the first two days, but now...

"You suppose so?" Julie raised her brows. "This is your wedding. Aren't you even a little bit excited?"  
"Well, yes." She took a bite and relished the warmth as it filled her mouth. Oatmeal had always been one of her least favorite things to eat as a child, but now she couldn't get enough of it. Yesterday she had mixed in chopped apples, and today it was cinnamon and raisins. Maybe tomorrow she could try a spoonful of blackberry jam. Oh, how she would miss having Abigail make it for her every morning.

"You sure don't seem excited." Julie flipped to another page. "Oooh, maybe we should do a deep forest green. And we can decorate the church with poinsettias."

Elizabeth sighed and took another bite of oatmeal. She should have Abigail write the recipe down for her. And hopefully she'd get it right. How hard could it be to make oatmeal? She could make shepherd's pie and spaghetti - oatmeal should be a piece of cake.

Well, maybe not cake. She shuddered as the memory of her first baking attempt flashed to the front of her mind.

Julie's snapping fingers pulled Elizabeth from her daydream. "You're not even listening to me."

"Yes I am." She set down her spoon, then took a sip of chamomile tea. Warmth spread through her fingers as she wrapped them around the cup. "You can't decide on red or green for the bridesmaid dresses."

"Oh, all right, so you were listening." Julie shut the book. "But I can tell you're not as excited about this as I am." She crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip, the way she always did when she was pouting. As much as her sister had grown up in the past year, some things never changed.

"You're right, Julie."Elizabeth scraped the last of the oatmeal from her bowl with her finger. "I'm not excited about this."

"Why not?" Julie pulled the bowl away from her.

Elizabeth licked the oatmeal from her finger, then wiped her hand on a napkin. The door opened and Florence clucked her tongue. Now the town gossip be telling anyone who would listen about how their children's teacher was licking out her bowl like an animal.

Just what she needed.

"To be honest, Julie, I kind of had my heart set on a spring wedding, especially after everything that's happened lately." She leaned closer and lowered her voice. "You of all people should understand that. And the last thing I want is to wear a short sleeved wedding dress when it's freezing outside."

"Oh, Dottie and Clara have that all figured out." Julie waved her hand. "I told them that your dress needs to have long sleeves, and Rosemary offered to lend you her white fur muff to keep your hands nice and toasty."

"But how will I hold a bouquet if I have my hands in a muff?"

Julie opened her mouth, then closed it and bit her lip. "I'll figure that out later."

"When?" Elizabeth set the teacup down and it clinked against the saucer. "This wedding that you're trying to plan is only five weeks away."

"I have plenty of help." Julie picked up her own teacup. "Abigail offered to help plan the menu, and -"

"When is she going to do that? Thanksgiving is in three days, and after that she'll have her hands full with holiday baking." Elizabeth pinched the bridge of her nose. It was all too much. The room started spinning, color mixing with sound. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Inhale… exhale… then opened them and smoothed her pale blue skirt. "I know you and Viola mean well, but I think you might be in over your heads."

"How can you even think that?" Julie pressed a hand to her chest.

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth reached across the table and took her sister's hand. "I'm thankful, really I am. I just don't want you pushing yourself too far, especially in your condition. It will be another week before Mother, Father, and Viola arrive in Hamilton, and she'll have only one or two weeks to plan there before they come back again."

'We can handle it." Julie's fingers squeezed hers, the soft warmth spreading through her palm. "And if I need any help, Rosemary, Molly and Florence have already offered their assistance."

"Well, that's reassuring." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. What kind of wedding would they plan? She shuddered to think of the clash between Rosemary's grand theatrics and Florence's more reserved style. Perhaps Rosemary's circus promise to the children would come true after all. She slipped her hand out of Julie's and tugged at the edge of her shawl. "Just remember to keep it simple. Please."

The door opened and Elizabeth shivered, pulling her shawl tight around her shoulders as an icy blast whipped around her. The tips of her fingers tingled, just as they often did in the past two weeks. Dr. Burns had said that side effect would likely be permanent, but it wasn't enough to keep her from her teaching job and her writing. And she would gladly take a little bit of tingling during colder months. She would just have to wear gloves.

Jack stepped into the cafe and brushed a few snowflakes from his red serge. A grin spread over his face as he crossed the room. "Good morning ladies."

Julie spread her fingers over the cover of the book. "Good morning, Constable."

"Good morning, Jack." A warmth spread through Elizabeth's chest as their eyes met. Only five more weeks, and he would be her husband. "Are you finishing up your rounds?"

Jack nodded. "I just wanted to see if you needed help carrying anything on your way to school this morning."

"I'm fine." She folded her hands on her lap. "But Julie could probably use a little help getting home."

"Oh, I'm fine." Julie clumsily rose from her seat. "It's not that far, and the exercise is good for me."  
"I insist." Elizabeth placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and Jack nodded.

Julie's eyes shifted between hers and Jack's. "Oh, all right."

Jack picked up Julie's coat and held it out for her to put her arms through the sleeves. Elizabeth still couldn't believe how lucky she was - to be marrying a man who cared so much about not just her, but her family as well. She mouthed a thank you to him, then placed a tender kiss on his cheek.

"I'll come by the school later, for lunch. I have a question to ask you. About the house."

Elizabeth's brows shot up as she put on her own coat. "What about the house?"

Jack led Julie towards the door. "Nothing too important."

She wrinkled her nose and exhaled a puff of air through her nostrils. He could be such a tease sometimes.

Lunch couldn't come soon enough.

Maybe he'd bring her some of Abigail's oatmeal.


	16. Chapter 16 - The Big Day

Chapter 16

A delicate mosaic of frost spread across the window of Elizabeth's bedroom while tiny snowflakes drifted to the ground outside. A chill permeated the thin walls of the row house and she pulled the thick ivory robe tight over her slender shoulders.

"Elizabeth, are you alright?"

She closed her eyes, and the thundering of her heart echoed in her ears.

Today was the day.

Her wedding day.

"Yes, I'm fine." Elizabeth turned to face her mother. "Just wedding day jitters, I suppose."

"It seems like more than just wedding jitters." Mother placed a hand on each of her shoulders. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

A rush of warmth bloomed in her cheeks. Goodness, was Mother about to have _that_ talk with her? As anxious as she had been in the past couple days, she hadn't even thought about her wedding night.

Well, maybe once or twice.

"It's the weather." Elizabeth turned back towards the window. "It brings back so many painful memories."

"You know, you could have told Julie and Viola that you wanted a spring wedding." Mother pulled the curtains closed. "I'm sure they would have understood."

"But they were so excited about planning the wedding for me. I can't remember the last time Julie and Viola got along with each other."

Mother chuckled. "You do have a point there."

"I think I can get past the snow. It is pretty." She pulled the curtain aside to sneak a quick peek. "It's the cold that bothers me."

"I understand." Mother embraced her. "Let me tell you a story that I think might help."

Elizabeth pulled back and then took a seat on her bed. She clutched a soft down pillow to her chest, the scent of lavender calming her. Mother would never know how thankful she was for the wedding gift of a feather bed and matching down pillows. Even though hers and Jack's house wasn't finished yet, she didn't mind starting their life together in her row house. In fact, she looked forward to sharing her tiny home with him for the next several months, and helping him to decorate their house in her free time.

"So." Mother took a seat beside her. "I've told you about my wedding day to your father."

"Of course. How could I forget? You wore a beautiful victorian gown of silk and satin, and after a ceremony at the cathedral in Hamilton, you had your reception at the Thatcher mansion. Our home. I remember Julie, Viola and I playing dress up in the garden when we were little, pretending to hold our own wedding parties for each other."

"I remember that too." Mother grinned. "But what I did not tell you about our wedding day was that it started with a horrible thunderstorm."

Elizabeth gripped the pillow tighter.

"The wind howled outside my room so loud it rattled the windows. It took my mother, sister and two of my aunts to calm me down enough to put on my wedding dress." She pressed a hand to her heart. "The storm, and the wind - they reminded me so much of the hurricane that took James's life. I was terrified that the storm raging outside would take your father away from me too."

"Oh, Mother." Elizabeth took her hand in her own.

"The wedding itself didn't start until four o'clock in the afternoon, two hours after the time it was originally scheduled. I had refused to leave the house until the storm had passed. So you see, our wedding days aren't too different from each other."

"Am I interrupting something?" Julie burst through the door, a bundle of ivory silk, satin and lace overflowing in her arms.

"Is that…" Elizabeth set the pillow at the head of the bed and stood, her heart racing.

"It is!" Julie wobbled forward a few steps, then laid the dress on the bed, cradling her stomach as she smoothed each layer.

It was beautiful. An eclectic mixture of 1890s fashion and Clara's own modern twist. Gone were the short leg of mutton sleeves and high ruffled neckline. In their place, long lace sleeves and a lower, yet modest neckline of the same lace, which continued down the front of the bodice. The lace then split at the waistline to reveal a delicate pattern of embroidered pink roses on the hem of the satin skirt. Elizabeth picked up the bodice and turned it over in her hands. On the back, a long row of tiny satin buttons traced from the neckline to just below the waist. She blushed - would Jack have enough patience to unfasten all of those buttons tonight?

"Oh Elizabeth." Mother took her hand and squeezed it. "It's lovely. Clara and Dottie did a wonderful job restoring it."

"They did." Elizabeth laid it back on the bed. "It's better than anything I could have imagined."

"Then let's get you in it!" Julie clasped her hands together, then clutched her belly as a grimace pulled at the corners of her mouth.

"Are you alright?" Mother rushed to Julie's side.

"Wheeeewwww." Julie exhaled a long breath. "I think it's just some of those false contractions that Faith told me about. Perfectly norm - oooowww!"

"That is not normal." Elizabeth picked up her wedding dress and hung it on a hook on the back of the door. "You need to rest. Mother, do you think you can go to town and get Faith?"

"Of course." Mother put on her coat and started down the stairs, Elizabeth close behind.

"What's wrong?" Viola rose from her seat at the kitchen table, her long burgundy lace gown clinging to her stomach.

"We don't know yet." Elizabeth interrupted. "Mother is going to go into town to get Faith. I'm sure Julie's fine, but I want to check to be sure."

"I'll be back as soon as I -"

"Mother!" Julie's voice trembled as she clung to the railing at the top of the stairs. "I think you need to hurry."  
"Julie." Elizabeth climbed the stairs. "You're supposed to be in bed."  
"I… I know. But I was smoothing out your dress so it wouldn't get wrinkled hanging up on the door, and…"

"And what?"

"My water broke."

Mother and Viola gasped.

"Sorry, Elizabeth." Julie bit her lip and lowered herself to the stairs. "It looks like you and Jack will have to wait for your wedding. This baby is going to be born today."

* * *

"So, Jack." Tom slapped him on the back. "Any of those pre-wedding jitters setting in yet?"

Jack straightened his belt and tugged on the cuff of his red serge. Outside the frosted window of the church, snowflakes drifted to the ground. How would Elizabeth be feeling with the weather like this? He could only imagine how anxious she must be, bitter memories undoubtedly rising to the surface of her mind of her brush with death two months earlier. Oh, if he could be with her now, to hold her, to tell her that everything would be alright.

Most importantly, to keep her warm.

"I guess I'm a little nervous." Jack lowered himself onto an empty pew and swallowed the fear inside of him. "But I'm more worried for Elizabeth. I know she's in good hands with her parents and sisters, but with this weather, I can only imagine…"

"She'll be fine, Jack." Charlotte walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's tough. And you're right, she has her family with her. Although if I had anything to worry about, it would be her sisters overwhelming her with last minute wedding details."

"Tell me about it." Tom leaned against the wall. "Julie has been talking nonstop about the wedding for the past month and a half. I love her, but I'll be glad when today is over and we can get back to planning for more important things."

"Like the baby?"

A rush of crimson crept up Tom's neck and flooded into his cheeks. "I know Julie isn't due for another two months, but I still need to find us a permanent home. We can only live in that room above the saloon for so long."  
"Well, mine and Elizabeth's house will be done by then, so you can have the row house, until you're able to build a home of your own."

"And I really appreciate that. I just…" Tom ran his fingers through his hair. "What if she goes into labor early?"

"She'll be fine." Faith walked up to them and put a hand on Tom's shoulder. "I just saw her yesterday and everything is progressing as it should."

"Thanks, nurse Carter. That means a lot."

The door opened and Lee walked down the aisle with Rosemary on his arm. "We're not too late, are we? It took a while for the Missus to get ready." Lee rolled his eyes in Rosemary's direction.

"Sweetheart, you know it took just as long for you to finish your paperwork as it did for me to get ready."

"Guilty as charged." Lee held up his hands. "But really, Jack, I thought the wedding was supposed to start ten minutes ago."

"Oh, you know the Thatcher sisters." Jack forced a chuckle. "They are probably fawning over Elizabeth, making sure she looks absolutely perfect."

"And I'm sure she'll be absolutely breathtaking." Rosemary grinned. "But just to be safe, do you want me to go to the rowhouse to check on them?"

"It couldn't hurt." Charlotte cast him a sideways glance. "I'll go with you. Maybe I can light a fire under them and get this wedding started. Just let me grab my coat."

The door swung open and William Thatcher burst into church, his gaze flickering over everyone in the congregation until it settled on Faith. "Miss Carter. We need you right away, at Elizabeth's row house"

Jack's pulse quickened and he raced to the front doors of the church with Tom at his heels.

"What is it?" Jack's eyes widened. "Is Elizabeth alright?"

"Elizabeth is fine. It's Julie." William leaned against the wall, catching his breath. "Grace went back to help after she gave me the message, but they could use someone with a bit more medical knowledge."

"What's wrong?" Tom pushed Jack aside, his eyes wide with fear.

 **"** **Tom, it looks like today you will become a father."**


	17. Chapter 17 - New Beginnings

Chapter 17

"I'm scared, Elizabeth." Julie panted as her sisters eased her into bed. "It's too early."

"Shhh." Elizabeth brushed a strand of hair from her sister's forehead. Perhaps it was the exertion of labor, but Julie's forehead felt hot. Feverish.

"Viola." She put a hand on her older sister's shoulder. "I'm going to go downstairs to get some cloths and cool water. Julie, is there anything I can get for you?"

"Just my husband." Julie's face tightened and she squeezed Elizabeth's hand. "Ooh, I don't know how mother did this three times."

"Well, she did." Viola took her hand. "And you'll do it too."

Elizabeth slipped out the door and made her way down the stairs. Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned at the landing. She needed to be brave for her little sister, but deep inside she was terrified. Julie was right - it was too early. The baby wasn't due for another six weeks, unless she had counted wrong.

"Do you need any help up there?" Mother filled a teapot with water and set it on the stove.

Elizabeth sank into a chair and dropped her head into her hands, spreading her fingers through the delicate waves at her temples. "Viola and I helped her into my bed. She just had another contraction, and it's been about…" She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Five minutes."

"She still has time then." Mother opened a cupboard and pulled out a stack of towels.

"I know." Elizabeth took a towel and hugged it to her chest. "But she feels so warm. I hope she's not sick. If she doesn't make it…" A tear traced a path down her cheek.

"I can go up there and check on her if you think it will help."

"Yes, please. And here." She handed the towel to her. "Pour some cold water on this."

Mother took the towel and dunked it in a pail of water next to the stove, then wrung it out. "You might want to get dressed, dear. Tom will be here soon. And Jack might be with him."

Elizabeth's eyes widened as she wrapped her arms around her chest. In all of the commotion, she hadn't even thought to change out of her robe and into something more suitable. She ran up the stairs and rounded the landing just as the door opened.

"Elizabeth?"

"Not now, Jack." She bounded up the last few steps.

She lunged for the door, then pulled it open and slipped inside, just as Jack's footfalls sounded below.

Her sisters' eyes widened and Viola pressed a hand to her lips. "Is that…"

"I need to get dressed."

* * *

Jack stood, perplexed, at the bottom of the steps. Was everything all right? Tom entered the row house and stepped next to him.

"Where's Julie?"

"Upstairs, I think. Elizabeth just ran up there."

Tom pushed past. "Julie!"

Jack put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Tom, I think the ladies have everything under control."

"Is she upstairs?" Faith stepped inside, William close behind.

"Yes." Grace replied, a damp towel in her hand. "She's up there with Elizabeth and Viola. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you **."**

"Well, from what I've heard from Abigail, Elizabeth has plenty of experience to do this on her own, but I'm happy to help." Faith tucked a

The door at the top of the steps opened and Elizabeth emerged. She smoothed the front of her green calico skirt and offered a weak smile as her eyes met Jack's. He was so handsome in his red serge.

"Tom." She descended the stairs towards them. "Julie wants to see you. She's scared, so please be strong for her."  
"I'll try." His voice wavered as his own gaze settled on the door at the top of the stairs.

"I'll come with you." Faith started up the stairs as Jack guided Elizabeth down. It sure was getting crowded in this small rowhouse.

Tom nodded and the two of them ascended the staircase. He took a deep breath as Faith opened the door for him.

Jack pulled Elizabeth close as they backed away from the bottom of the stairs. "She'll be all right, now that Faith is here."

"I know." She rested her head on his shoulder. "But she's my little sister. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her."

"We won't lose her." William shook his head. "She's a Thornton and a Thatcher. So she's doubly strong."

A cold blast wrapped around him as the door opened yet again. Abigail and Charlotte stepped inside.

"Is there anything we can do?" Abigail removed her coat and hung it next to the door.

"Faith is upstairs with Julie. Tom is up there too." Viola walked down the stairs. "She said she needs lots of towels and hot water."  
"I'll take them upstairs." Abigail picked up a stack of towels.

"Take this one too." Grace placed the cool damp towel on the top of the stack. "Elizabeth said Julie felt warm."

"Thank you" Abigail turned towards the staircase.

"Charlotte, can you pour some hot water in a basin and bring it upstairs."

Charlotte nodded as the kettle began to whistle.

"Ma, is there anything I can do?" Jack turned, his arm still tight around Elizabeth's waist.

Charlotte poured water from the kettle into a large ceramic bowl and steam billowed around her. "Just stay here with Elizabeth. I'll send Tom down. You'll need to comfort him too."

"I'd like to help, if I can." Elizabeth pulled out of Jack's embrace and laid a hand on her mother-in-law's forearm.

"Not right now." Abigail smiled as she started up the stairs. "I'll check with Faith first and I'll let you know."

Charlotte gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, then slowly made her way up the stairs behind Abigail.

* * *

"You're doing great, Julie." Abigail rubbed her back. "Almost there."

"Just a few more pushes."

"I can't do this!" Julie shook her head.

"Yes, you can!"

"AAAAA!" Julie gripped the strips of fabric tied around the bedposts.

"Breathe through it."

Julie wheezed, then gritted her teeth. A vein throbbed in her forehead and she squinted her eyes shut. She exhaled, then leaned forward. "Any progress?"

"Um…" Faith looked at Abigail and Elizabeth worry evident on her face.

"What is it?"

"The baby, it's breech."

"What does that mean?" Julie's voice trembled.

"That he or she is feet first."

"Just like you, Julie." Elizabeth took Julie's hand and squeezed it.

"But can I still do this?"

"It will be more difficult, but possible."  
"Oh, here comes another one." Julie released Elizabeth's hand.

"We have knees, thighs, and… it's a boy!"

"A boy!" Tears streamed down Julie's face.

"Just one more push for the rest of him."

"You can do this!"

* * *

Tom paced at the bottom of the stairs. "I don't know how much more I can take."

"It'll be all right, Tom. You and I both know that Faith is one of the best nurses around."

"I know. But that was a concussion that she treated me for. Not a woman in early labor."

"Jack is right." Grace put a hand on his shoulder. "Julie is in good hands."

Tom nodded, then exhaled as he lowered himself onto a chair.

A scream split the silence.

"Julie!" Tom shot up and bounded towards the stairs.

Jack held him back. "Not now, Tom."

"But she needs me."

"Patience, Tom."

Cries and laughter sounded from the top of the stairs.

Three words.

"It's a boy."

Tears streamed down Tom's face.

He had a son.

But where was the sound of his first newborn cry?

Tom gripped the railing and held his breath.

Please, let him live.

And then… the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

The tinny wail of his son.

* * *

"Oh, Julie, he's beautiful." Faith cradled the infant in her arms and handed him to his mother.

"He's so tiny." The infant reached up with his hands, and gripped Julie's finger as she pulled the blanket aside.

"Good job, Mom." Tears streamed down Abigail's face as she stepped back from the bed and wiped her brow.

"Julie?" Tom's voice called from the other side of the door.

"Can he come in?"

Faith nodded, then stepped back from the bed and untied her apron.

Elizabeth turned around and opened the door. "Congrats, Tom. He's perfect."

"Oh Julie." Tom rushed to his wife's side and took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"He looks just like you." She smiled through her tears.

"Like both of us." He stroked the infant's cheek with the back of his finger. "Look at how red his hair is. Just like yours."

The infant squirmed and sucked on his hands. A soft whimper escaped his lips.

"I think he's hungry." Faith nodded towards the baby. "I can help you if you'd like."

"Yes, please."

"Let's go downstairs and clean up." Abigail guided Elizabeth and Charlotte towards the door. "Tom, you too. She needs some privacy right now."

Tom nodded, then placed a tender kiss on Julie's forehead. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too."

* * *

Several minutes later, Faith emerged from the bedroom. "Tom, you can come back up now. You too, Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher, Viola. Julie wants to tell you something."

They all made their way up the stairs and into the bedroom where Julie lay cradling her sleeping son.

"Oh Julie, he's beautiful." Grace brought a hand to her lips.

"Congratulations." William stepped forward and smiled.

Viola rubbed her own belly, opened her mouth and then shut it as a tear streamed down her cheek.

"So, Tom." Julie carefully shifted the baby to her other arm. "Shall we tell them his name?"

Tom nodded.

"Allow me to introduce the newest member of our family - Thomas James Thornton."

Grace gasped and brought a hand to her lips. "Oh, Julie, you didn't have to."

"I wanted to." Julie replied through her tears.

Grace brushed tears from her face, then reached into a pocket on the side of her dress. "I was going to give this to Elizabeth as a wedding gift, but it seems more fitting now to give it to you."

"What do you mean?"

Grace pulled a small black pouch from her pocket and placed it in Julie's free hand. "For Thomas."

Julie bit her lower lip as her gaze flicked between Mother, Elizabeth, and her husband and son. She turned it over in her hand and a small round disc landed on the bed in front of her. She picked it up and brought it closer.

"Oh, Mother." Tears poured down her face. "Your compass."

"It seems fitting, given his name."

"Yes, yes it does." She held it in front of her son and he reached out with his tiny hands to touch its smooth surface. "This is for you, little one." She choked back a sob. "So no matter where you go in life, you'll never lose your way."


	18. Chapter 18 - Hearts United

"So, are you excited?" Julie swayed back and forth, lightly bouncing the tiny bundle in her arms.

"Yes… No… Well, kind of." Elizabeth fidgeted with the bright ruby engagement ring on her finger. "I'm glad you and Viola were all right with moving the wedding to spring. I just wish she could be here."

"I do hope that she and Sir Lionel can work things out." Julie pulled back the soft blue blanket covering her son and sighed. "I know I wasn't a fan of him from the beginning, but after everything that Viola has been through, she needs a supportive husband."

Elizabeth ran her hands along the delicate lace overlay on the satin skirt of her wedding dress. "I just don't understand how any man could keep working after such an event. To not rush to Viola's side after she suffered a miscarriage…"

"Well." Mother pinned one last curl atop Elizabeth's head. "I have faith that things will work out. And if they don't..." She pushed a delicate ivory comb into the pile of curls. "I know she has two wonderful sisters who will help her through the next chapter in her life."

"Speaking of which." Father pushed aside the door, then held out a small brown package and winked at someone over her shoulder. "Jack asked me to give this to you."

"What's going on here?" Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. Her parents were up to something, she just knew it. But what?

"Isn't it obvious?" Julie grinned. "Jack sent you a wedding gift. It's so romantic!"

"But I told him not to get me anything. And I have nothing for him."

"Oh, he won't mind." Mother swept the veil through the air, then pinned it to the comb. "I'm sure marrying you is gift enough for him."

Elizabeth bit her lip and accepted the package from Father. With a light tug, she untied the loose twine bow at the top of the box, then slipped her shaking finger under the seam of plain brown paper. What could it be? Hopefully nothing too extravagant. Although if her parents were in on this, it could be anything.

The paper fell away to reveal a medium sized oak jewelry box, just like the one she had when she was a little girl. Ornate floral carvings traced along the sides, and on the top, the monogram "ETM".

Elizabeth Marie Thatcher. Soon to be Elizabeth Marie Thornton.

Taped to the top, an envelope bore her name and she removed a note in Jack's handwriting.

"To my dearest, the one who brings flowers in the springtime, whose warmth drives the coldest winds away. I wish I could take credit for the gift inside this box, but I can't. Not completely. I didn't think it would be ready in time, but your father helped with that part. I knew that today would be the perfect day to give it to you, to celebrate the next chapter of our life together."

Inside the box? Fingers trembled as she lifted the lid and a gasp escaped her lips. There, cushioned between folds of linen, laid a book.

Her book.

"Stories of the Frontier – by Elizabeth Thornton."

* * *

Soft violin music played from inside the church and Elizabeth took a deep breath as Julie adjusted the train of her dress. A light mist rolled over the pond while drops of dew clung to the bouquet of sweet lilacs in her hands.

"I still don't understand how you did it without my knowledge."

Father patted her hand. "It's simple really. Your mother happened to be at the mercantile when the letter from the publisher arrived, and since you were recovering at the time from your ordeal in the cabin, she opened it herself. It was all she could do not to tell you right away."

"But why not?"

Mother smiled and adjusted her veil. "That was your future husband's idea. Since you were under so much stress, he decided it would be best to correspond with the publisher himself, with some help from us. And don't worry, we made sure that they didn't change too much about your stories. Even if Jack wanted to add more adventure."

Elizabeth laughed, then exhaled as she turned back to Father. "Jack said in the letter that you played a part in this."

"Yes." He tugged on the cuffs of his suit. "The publisher is in Hamilton, and I took it upon myself to go to the office before I left to come here, to see if our book was ready. I got to see the first copy come off the press. I have to admit, it was exciting." He took Elizabeth's hands in his own and squeezed them. "My Beth, a published author. I'm so proud of you."

"We both are." Mother added.

Abigail, Faith, Rosemary, and Julie gathered around them.

"I know you want to get in there and marry that man of yours." Rosemary stepped forward. "But we each have something to give to you."

"More gifts?"

"Just a little something." Mother held out a bundle of ivory yarn. "Your something old."

Tears collected in the corners of Mother's eyes, reflecting the ones in her own. "Is this..."

"Yes." Mother nodded. "The shawl that James gave to me when we first met. I returned it to his sister that night, but after he died, she told me to keep it. And now I'm giving it to you, so you will always have something to keep you warm."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she held out her arms and mother wrapped the delicate shawl over her shoulders.

"I have the something new." Abigail held out an envelope.

Elizabeth opened the envelope and reached inside to pull out a pair of tiny pearl earrings. "Oh Abigail, you shouldn't have."

"They are actually from me and Clara. We both agreed that they would look beautiful with your dress."

"Oh, they do." Elizabeth put them on. "I will treasure them always."

"And, from me, your something borrowed." Rosemary held out a small red velvet pouch.

Elizabeth turned the pouch over in her hand. Out slipped a thin black chain, adorned with a single red pendant. "Oh, Rosemary, it's beautiful!"

"I thought it would complement your engagement ring." Rosemary took the necklace and stepped behind Elizabeth to fasten it around her neck.

"Thank you." She pressed her hand to her chest, the smooth red stone cool under her warm hands.

Faith stepped forward. "I know we haven't known each other long, but I'd like to give you something as well. Your something blue." Julie stepped next to her, then nodded. "It's actually from both Julie and me." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a long strand of pale blue thread.

"I don't understand."

"It's from the coat you gave me in the cabin." Julie blotted tears from the corners of her eyes. "The one that saved my life."

"We wanted to remind you that no matter what, we will always be here for you," Julie tied the thread loosely around Elizabeth's wrist and finished with a bow. "Just like you're always here for us."

"I don't know what to say." Elizabeth pulled Faith and Julie into an embrace. How could she be so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family?

Father held out his hand. "Are you ready?"

"Yes. Yes I am."

* * *

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." Frank took both of their hands in his own and squeezed them. "What God has joined, may no one divide."

A warmth unlike any other filled Jack's chest and he looked down at his and Elizabeth's hands.

His wife.

For three long years he had dreamed of this moment, and it had finally arrived. Through rival suitors, family drama, outlaws, storms and everything else life had thrown at them in the past three years, they had made it through.

That didn't mean the rest of their lives would be smooth sailing – he knew life had its ups and downs. But with Elizabeth at his side, he could do anything.

Frank cleared his throat and lightly nudged Jack.

"Excuse me?" He blinked twice, turning towards the preacher.

"You may kiss your bride."

A blush bloomed in Elizabeth's cheeks as Jack lifted the veil. It couldn't be possible, but she was even more beautiful now than they day they had met. Pulling her closer, he captured her lips with his own. Just a quick kiss. Nothing too passionate.

There would be plenty of time for that later.

As their lips parted, Frank put a hand on each of their shoulders and smiled. "It is now my pleasure to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Thornton."

The church erupted into applause as Jack offered his arm to Elizabeth and they made their way down the aisle. Mother dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief – imagine that, Charlotte Thornton, crying! All of Elizabeth's students took turns stepping into the aisle to congratulate them, either with hugs or hearty handshakes. At this rate, it would be nightfall before they left the church. Halfway to the door, Elizabeth stopped, then gave him a nudge and a wink, holding up her bouquet of lilacs.

Of course.

Stepping to the side, he watched as his bride tossed the bouquet into the air. A few delicate blooms rained down on the congregation, and the bouquet came to rest in the arms of Abigail Stanton. Elizabeth looked over her shoulder at Frank and winked.

"Miss Thatch… I mean, Mrs. Thornton?" Opal tugged on Elizabeth's dress.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Since Miss Abigail caught the bouquet, that means she gets married next, right?"

"Why yes, that is the tradition."

"But if she marries Pastor Frank, who's going to perform the ceremony?"

Both he and Elizabeth laughed. "I don't know, Opal. I don't know."

* * *

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Elizabeth shifted in the saddle, her arms wrapped around Jack's waist.

"Not yet. We're almost there. No peeking."

"I would never peek!"

"Which is why I put a blindfold on you."

Just ahead, a large cabin loomed before them, illuminated from within by candlelight. It had taken a lot of work, but the house – their home – was finally finished. Julie and Tom had moved into the row house yesterday and Elizabeth had stayed with Abigail last night. He hadn't been inside since early this morning, so hopefully Tom, Julie, Lee and Rosemary hadn't gone overboard with decorations. He had told Lee, just a few candles, maybe some flowers, and that was all. Rosemary insisted on more than just a few candles and flowers. Something about a trail lined with candles, and scattering rose petals for them to walk on.

Thank goodness she hadn't followed through on that. As spectacular as it sounded, something like that would be far too elaborate for a simple man such as himself.

And rose petals would have been a pain to clean out of Sarge's hooves tomorrow.

A few more steps, and Jack stopped at the edge of the clearing. Just ahead, a post bore a small white sign - "Mr. & Mrs. Thornton".

He would never tire of seeing or hearing those words.

Jack hopped off of Sarge, then helped Elizabeth down and kissed her on the cheek. Carefully he untied the bright red blindfold. "You can open your eyes now."

Thick lashes fluttered open and she turned her face towards the house. A gasp escaped her delicate pink lips and a tear rolled down her cheek. "Oh Jack, it's beautiful. More than I could have ever hoped or dreamed for."

"I'm glad you like it. I painted it blue to match your eyes, and the front door red to match - "

"My ring, right? And your red serge." Elizabeth kissed him, then wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah, that too." A rush of warmth spread up the back of his neck as he tied Sarge to a post by the front door. "Let me show you around before we go inside."

Taking her hand, he led her to the left. A large porch wrapped around the side of the house, the white railing accented by planters filled with pink and purple flowers. He grinned as she craned her neck to peek in the windows. "I know you want to see inside, but let me finish showing you the outside first."

Elizabeth nudged him. "You, my dear husband, are such a tease."

"Believe me." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back. "It will be worth the wait."

"Oh my." She pulled her hand away and brought it to her lips. "Oh Jack, this is…"

Stretched out before them, a pond reflected shades of orange, lavender, and scarlet as the sun dipped behind the trees on the other side. A flock of geese splashed into the still waters, sending ripples across the surface. At the bottom of the hill, a short pier extended twenty feet, a small rowboat tied to the end.

Still, it wasn't half as beautiful as the woman standing next to him. The woman he would wake up next to every day for the rest of his life.

"I have something for you." Jack led her to a porch swing on the back of the house.

"Another gift?" She pressed a hand to her chest, her ruby ring shining in the light of the setting sun.

"Just a little something."

"I've been getting a lot of 'little somethings' today."

Jack picked up a small paper package tied in red ribbon that lay on the swing, took a seat and motioned for Elizabeth to join him.

"Thank you." She kissed him again, then untied the ribbon and tore off the paper. "Another book?"

"This one is empty." Jack pulled back the first few pages. "A new journal for you to fill with more stories." He covered her hands with his own and gazed into her eyes. " _Our_ stories."

"I can't wait to fill it." She leaned forward, wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. Their lips met in a spark that to grew into a blaze strong enough to engulf them and the cabin. For a moment, he could feel the pounding of her heart echoing his own. With each beat, it quickened, until he had to pull away to catch his breath.

Heart racing, he licked his lips, then swallowed. "Shall we go inside?" Just one door stood between them and the rest of their lives together.

"Mm-hmm." Elizabeth's chest rose and fell in rhythm with his own. Just her mere presence could take his breath away.

It was all he could do not to pull her into his arms again.

He shook his head. "I need to do this right." He swept his hand underneath her knees and swept her up into his arms.

Elizabeth giggled as he approached the door and struggled to open it. "Here, let me help." She reached for the handle, turned it and pushed the door in.

"Thank you Mrs. Thornton."

"You're welcome, Mr. Thornton."

Stepping over the threshold, he kicked the door shut and took in the scene before him. A dozen candles in glass jars illuminated the living room and a bouquet of red roses sat on a table next to a bottle of champagne. A sofa sat before the empty fireplace, and the stove glowed in the corner to their right. To their left, Elizabeth's desk faced the window overlooking the pond, accented by a bouquet of fresh lilacs.

Paintings and sketches hung on the walls, among them a scaled-up version of the tiny likeness he had painted in the founder's day backdrop three years ago. And yet, there was plenty of wall space for more pictures. Pictures of their family - children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

"I love it." Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Shall I show you the upstairs?" Jack's heart thundered in his chest as he took a few shaking steps towards the staircase.

"Yes, please." Elizabeth nodded.

He kissed her one more time, then climbed the steps slowly until he reached the top.

"I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you too, Jack."

With a flourish, he swept her into the small room at the top of the stairs, a swoosh of satin and lace rustling behind them as he pulled the door closed on two hearts, united in love.

 _ **~The End~**_


End file.
